A TRIPLE treat of boxing tournaments awaits the pugilist having some of the best boxers in the country climbing into the ring to showcase their talents.
Golden Gloves Promotions (GGP) announced on June 11 that they will stage three tournaments, which see the opening one on June 23, the second leg on August 10 and the final on September 1 to be held at Emperors Palace.
In the mix for all three tournaments will be fights for world titles, African Boxing Union bouts and South African title fights.
Photo: Annette van Schalkwyk.
“We try to bring fights to our boxers which are in dire straits for showing their talents to the fans,” said GGP CEO, Rodney Berman. “It is not always easy to present a tournament, but I think we have managed very well with these three and then, of course, there will be another two to end the boxing calendar.”
Thulani Mbenge and Thabiso Mchunu will top the bill at Bombs Away on June 23 while Tommy Oosthuizen will make his comeback on the September 1 card in a cruiserweight bout against Mchunu. Ryno Liebenberg will also be back to once again fight on South African soil on the same evening.
Interesting enough the August bill will see Rowan Campbell and Wade Groth getting their chance to show their worth in the ring for the SA titles. Groth will have to beat Wynand Mulder in an SA middleweight interim title fight to advance to bigger fights while Campbell and Renson Hobyani will be centre stage for the SA super middleweight title.
All in all, over the series of three tournaments some 16 bouts will be presented by GGP which will prove to be a humdinger of events for the boxing fans.
“We’re putting out practically our entire stable, so it’s an exciting time,” said Berman. “I’m very high on Mbenge, but this fight is a gut-check for him. If he’s going to contend with the big names, he must handle a big name like Diego Chaves. I’ll likely ship him off to the US for action on a Lou Di Bella show if he wins well.
“Thabiso is matched tough too. If he wins, he’ll fight Tommy Gun, so that’s a great possibility. Then there are crowd-pleasers like Wade Groth and Rowan Campbell, not forgetting the pro debut of Keaton Gomes.”
Photo: Annette van Schalkwyk.
Berman said that they will line up a development show on October 21 and a world title bill at Christmas Cracker on December 8 ensuring festive cheer for SA fight fans.
Books your seats, contact Jeff Ellis on 078 457 3030.
Full line-up:
Bombs Away (June 23)
Jay Jay Sonjica vs Tumelo Motsane (four rounds, junior-featherweight)
Wade Groth vs Andile Mntungwa (six rounds, middleweight)
Rowan Campbell vs Malkhaz Sujashvili (eight rounds, international super-middleweight)
Thabiso Mchunu vs Ricards Bolotniks (10 rounds, international cruiserweight)
Thulani Mbenge vs Diego Chaves (12 rounds, vacant IBO welterweight title)
Reach For The Stars (August 10)
Jay Sonjica vs TBC (four rounds, junior-featherweight)
Jarred Silverman vs Jason Bedeman (six rounds, junior-welterweight)
Keaton Gomes vs TBC (four rounds, cruiserweight)
Wade Groth vs Wynand Mulder (12 rounds, interim SA middleweight title)
Rowan Campbell vs Renson Hobyani (12 rounds, SA super-middleweight title)
Call To Glory (September 1)
Jay Sonjica vs TBC (four rounds, junior-featherweight)
Keaton Gomes vs TBC (four rounds, cruiserweight)
Wade Groth vs TBC (if Groth wins the interim belt)
Lusanda Komanisi vs Michael Mokoena (12 rounds, ABU lightweight title)
Ryno Liebenberg vs Alfonso Tissen (12 rounds, ABU super-middleweight title)
Thabiso Mchunu/Ricards Bolotniks vs Tommy Oosthuizen (12 rounds, ABU cruiserweight title)
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