Zimbabwean boxer Beaven Sibanda will be given a chance to fight against South African and African Boxing Union (ABU) minimumweight champion Siyakholwa Kuse should he win next month’s fight against Siphamandla Baleni.
This was an undertaking from Kuse’s manager Mlandeli Tengimfene as Sibanda clashes with Baleni in an eight rounds bout at the Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park on Saturday, 15 June.
Initially, Sibanda was scheduled to clash against Kuse, but the Mdantsane-born lad withdrew from the fight.
“It’s good that Sibanda is fighting against Baleni, who is rated. He must win and then get a world rating. We will then give him a chance to fight us once he gets a world rating,” Tengimfene said.
“Kuse is not afraid of Sibanda and he wanted to take the fight. I refused because Sibanda doesn’t have anything that we want while Kuse has two belts. Actually, even if it’s Baleni who wins, we will give him a chance to fight us.”
Baleni, a former SA minimumweight and junior-flyweight champion, is rated 15th by the World Boxing Council (WBC) while the unbeaten Sibanda is yet to crack the ratings. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
