By Monwabisi Jimlongo
Khanyile Bulana’s preparations for his fight against current International Boxing Organisation (IBO) junior-lightweight champion Michael Magnesi are continuing.
Bulana from Scenery Park is going to challenge the Italian in Rome, Italy, on Saturday, 18 April.
The East London boxer is training under the watchful eye of award-winning trainer Colin ‘Nomakanjani’ Nathan at Hot Box Gym in Johannesburg.
“Bulana’s preparations are going very well. I’m very happy with him. He is in a very good shape,” Nathan revealed.
Initially, the opportunity to challenge Magnesi was offered to former South African featherweight champion Azinga ‘Golden Boy’ Fuzile.
But Nathan decided to pass off the opportunity to Bulana as he lined up Fuzile for an International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior-lightweight elimination bout.
Fuzile, who is rated fifth by the IBF, is now going to face Martin Ward from the United Kingdom for the mandatory slot. Ward is rated fourth on the IBF ratings.
Currently, the IBF junior-lightweight title is vacant after American boxer Joseph Diaz lost it on the scales before his drawn fight against Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov from Tajikistan more than a week ago.
Rakhimov is set to face Japanese boxer Kenichi Ogawa for the vacant title with the winner going to meet either Fuzile or Ward.
