By Monwabisi Jimlongo
An elaborate plan to make sure that reigning South African minimumweight champion Siyakholwa Kuse moves up the World Boxing Council (WBC) ratings has been set in motion by Last Born Promotions.
Currently rated 13th by the WBC, Kuse is going to face off against boxer Tanzanian Khalid Kalama Ally in a vacant African Boxing Union (ABU) mini-flyweight title fight in a Last Born Promotions tournament at the Thobi Kula Indoor Sport Centre in Komani on Sunday, 3 December.
“Kuse is in a voluntary space. We are using this voluntary space for him to campaign internationally. That is why we are taking this route to let him fight for an ABU title,” Kuse’s manager Mlandeli Tengimfene revealed.
“He is rated number 13 by the WBC and if he fights for the full ABU title, then he will go up to maybe 10th place. I want to push him up the WBC ratings where he’s rated.”
One of Tengimfene’s goals is to ensure that Kuse gets rated by the top four world boxing bodies and he believes that a fight against former SA minimumweight and junior-flyweight champion Siphamandla Baleni might help in that regard.
Baldni is rated ninth by both the WBC and the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) while the International Boxing Federation (IBF) rates in him in eighth place.
“After this fight, we will go for Baleni, who’s highly rated than us. By around March, April next year we will be due for a mandatory defence against Baleni. If we beat Baleni, then we will go far in the ratings. Baleni is a big name in that division,” Tengimfene said.
Mdantsane-born Kuse, who dethroned Bangile Nyangani four months ago, will be looking for his sixth professional win having lost twice and drawn once. On the other hand, the 22-year-old Tanzanian from Magomeni has six wins, a loss and one draw.
