Relief for local fighters and promoters as boxers return to the ring

When the opening bell sounds and the command to “box” is uttered by the referee at Emperors Palace on Saturday night, perhaps no one will be more relieved than Golden Gloves promoter Rodney Berman.

In what has resembled a military operation in the past fortnight due to the adherence to strict Covid-19 health and safety protocols, local professional boxing will finally be back on the cards in the appropriately named ‘Back4Battle’ tournament.

Berman and his associates had been forced to scramble after receiving clearance just two weeks ago from sports minister Nathi Mthethwa via Boxing South Africa (BSA).

Not taking into account expenses incurred for BSA and sanctioning body fees, officials and medical and service staff, the purses run into a conservative figure of R1.5 million.

Unlike a normal tournament though, the thud of leather striking the body or face and instructions being barked from the trainers in the respective corners will be clearly audible, and missing will be the usual crescendo of noise from the crowd.

The five-fight made-for-TV bill will be held in an empty arena in a strict bio-bubble environment and within the strict government and Boxing South Africa guidelines.

Topping the card is the long-awaited final of the 4@War junior middleweight shootout between the more experienced Branden Thysse (12-2-1) and Boyd Allen (5-0-1), scheduled for 10 rounds, with the WBA Pan-African title also up for grabs.

Thysse and Allen emerged victorious in the semifinals in December. Thysse, the son of former SA and Commonwealth middleweight champion Andre Thysse, scored a seventh-round knockout victory over Roarke Knapp and Allen stunned Tristan Truter with a 10th-round TKO triumph.

The two have an old score to settle, with former mixed martial arts exponent Allen having gained a controversial split decision over Thysse last year.

An inviting R750 000 purse is up for grabs, with a 60-40 split in favour of the winner as well as a commemorative diamond ring.

The quick-fisted Thysse, under the tutelage of trainer Damien Durandt, has shed his defensive mindset and appeared to be on an upward curve when the original bout was postponed In March. His durability, exceptional conditioning and the fact he is an out and out junior middleweight, may tilt matters in his favour.

Allen should bring out the best in Thysse. He is a strong, awkward customer, elusive, difficult to hit and a particularly strong back foot counter-puncher. His trainer Peter Smith would have been hard at work ironing out any potential flaws in his charge’s make-up since resuming training.

In what would be termed a third-place playoff in a team sport context, Knapp and Truter head the undercard for a R250 000 purse split.

In a fight that could well steal the show, Sebastiaan Rothmann’s bright unbeaten prospect Jabulani Makhense (9-0) steps into unfamiliar territory as a welterweight where he faces a stern test against the vastly more experienced DRC-born Eric Kapia (22-3-2) for the vacant WBA Pan-African title.

In a cruiserweight contest, Keaton Gomes (6-1) will slug it out with Lebogang Mashitoa (7-1), who slammed the breaks on the former’s promising start as a professional by upsetting him in September last year.

The first bout features a six-rounder between junior-middleweights Cowin Ray (5-0) and Karabo Mokupi (5-2-3).

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