Jantjies v Hendricks: Bok stars to square off in the ring

Elton Jantjies has earned a World Cup winners’ medal and played in three Super Rugby finals, but he’s never been more pumped up for a battle. And, it’s not even got to do with rugby.

Jantjies is talking up a big game ahead of his much-anticipated “boxing duel” with fellow Springbok and Bulls wing, Cornal Hendricks.

Last week when the fight – slated for Wednesday evening at 7pm – was announced, Jantjies was quoted as saying, “there will be blood”, and late on Tuesday afternoon when he wrapped up his pre-fight preparations, he said: “Emirates Lions against Vodacom Bulls; this time it is going down in the ring. Cornal, I am coming for you.”

That, however, is all the information The Citizen was able to gather about the fight – the first in public for the two backline players.

“The Battle of the Backs” will be available for fans to watch on the Lions’ Facebook page.

It is not known where the battle will take place, if there will be any team-mates allowed to cheer on the boxers, and over how many rounds the bout will be contested. Almost everything about the fight is shrouded in mystery.

Bulls wing Cornal Hendricks has been called out ahead of the ‘Battle of the Backs’. Picture: Gallo Images

One’s got to wonder how pleased the two boxers’ respective coaches – Ivan van Rooyen (Lions) and Jake White (Bulls) – are about the fight, now seemingly just weeks out from rugby restarting in this country, nearly six months after the suspension of the sport because of Covid-19. Any injuries now could be season-ending.

Fight fans, however, will discover on Wednesday night who of Jantjies and Hendricks has the swag and who’s got the biggest punch.

Here’s the tale of the tape:

Elton ‘Big Guns’ Jantjies

Height: 1.77m

Weight: 88kg

Age: 30

Place of birth: Graaff-Reinet

Knockouts: Unknown

Cornal ‘Wildebeest’ Hendricks

Height: 1.88m

Weight: 90kg

Age: 32

Place of birth: Paarl

Knockouts: Unknown

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