JOHANNESBURG is set for an explosive night of fights, when champion Nkazimulo ‘Zuluboy’ Zulu and former featherweight champion Demarte ‘The Wolf’ Pena square off for the bantamweight title.
EFC AFRICA 31 takes place on Thursday July 3 at Coca Cola Dome. The weigh-in will take place on Wednesday July 2 at the same venue at 14:00.
Notorious heavy-hitter Tumelo Fadipe clashes with former title contender Danie van Heerden and legendary former heavyweight champion Andrew van Zyl as he enters the Hexagon for his first bout on the road back to the title. Multiple wrestling champion Hanru Botha gets his big name debut, when he tussles with Wesley Hawkey and Cedric Doyle and Matthew Buirski finally meet in a top bantamweight bout.
Zulu is a sensational striker, who fought his way to the top with a series of unforgettable performances. His opponent, Demarte Pena, is without question his toughest test.
Pena is the most dominant athlete in EFC’s history. His run at featherweight included a staggering eight fights, undefeated winning streak, a record-breaking five-title defence and the honour of being the youngest EFC champion in history. In a controversial move late last year, he relinquished his featherweight belt for a guaranteed shot at the bantamweight title. If he beats Zulu, he will become the first EFC athlete to own a title in two weight divisions.
“Losing is not a concern for me,” said Pena. “I’ve proven that I am a true champion by being the only man in EFC history who has been able to defend the belt five times. I understand that anything worth having in life comes at a price.”
Both Maphutha and Van Heerden are notoriously powerful, totally unafraid, and have the same uncompromising style of straight attack until the final buzzer. Maphutha has smashed men like McLellan, Kruger and Opie with his incredibly heavy hands, and Van Heerden has made it known that he wants nothing more than to test his phenomenal boxing pedigree against that kind of onslaught. Their main event bout has sparked huge global interest, and promises to be a brutal festival of stand-up MMA.
Former heavyweight champion Andrew van Zyl reignites his title trail with a tough test against Africa’s heavyweight boxing champion Elvis Moyo from the South. Van Zyl is well aware of the steamers KO power and has said that he will be playing a concentrated game when they meet in the Hexagon.
African wrestling champion Hanru Botha has put in extraordinary performances to earn this top division bout. He is now riding a three-fight winning streak, and if he beats Hawkey may find himself next in line to challenge for the title.
Buirski and Doyle are powerful competitors both driving hard to stake a claim for a bantamweight title shot. With Doyle sitting on a three-fight winning streak, all finishes inside the first two rounds, and Buirski still undefeated in the Hexagon.
