Startlet Asemahle Wellem is fearless as he is about to conclude his preparations for his fight against South African champion Cowin Ray next week.
The three-fight novice is going to Ray’s backyard as he attempts to wrestle the South African super-middleweight title from the Pretoria lad. Unbeaten Wellem and Ray are scheduled to clash at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria on Saturday, 1 October.
“I know that he’s a hard hitter. But that doesn’t scare me at all. I’m going for his title next week. We will hit each other hard,” Wellem remarked.
The 21-year-old Wellem, who was born in Chintsa in the Eastern Cape, aspires to become the second boxer to win an SA title in his fourth fight in recent history.
Nhlanhla ‘Mount Kilimanjaro’ Tyirha won the SA junior-flyweight title in only his fourth professional fight when he stopped Bongani Silila in December 2018.
“Tyirha showed us that this could be done. I see nothing stopping me from doing the same,” Wellem, who is trained by Vusi Mtolo in Edenvale, said.
Meanwhile, Ray took less than nine minutes to stop Andile Mntungwa during his first defence of the national title at The Galleria in Sandton, Johannesburg, five months ago. The unbeaten Ray has stopped six of his opponents in his eight fights.
