With Siyakholwa Kuse having left All Winners Boxing Club, which is managed by Mla Tengimfene in Mdantsane, and joined the Brian Mitchell Boxing Academy in Edenvale, Golden Gloves and Last Born Boxing Promotions will now co-promote the world rated boxer.
The news about the two promotional outfits co-promoting Kuse was disclosed by Golden Gloves managing director Rodney Berman, who promoted the Mdantsane boxer’s World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver mini-flyweight title win over Zimbabwean Beaven Sibanda in December last year.
“What I’m gathering is that he contacted Brian Mitchell and that has nothing to do with me. We have since retained co-promotion rights together with Mla’s Last Born Promotions. We have already signed an agreement to that effect,” Berman said.
And now that Kuse has moved to Gauteng where he is trained by Vusi Mtolo, Berman has already set plans in motion to make sure that the former South African minimumweight champion remains active.
According to Berman, he has already spoken to current WBC mini-flyweight champion Melvin Jerusalem’s handlers about the Filipino defending against Kuse should he prevail against Japanese boxer Yudai Shigeoka in Japan next month.
The 30-year-old Jerusalem is scheduled to defend his title in a rematch against Shigeoka at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname on Sunday, 30 March. Jerusalem dethroned Shigeoka in March last year.
“When I saw him last year I didn’t realise how good he was, the potential he’s got. After the Kuse-Sibanda fight, I reached out to Melvin Jerusalem. He’s got a defence on the 30th of March. They have given me an undertaking that they will make their next defence against Kuse if he wins on the 30th of March,” Berman revealed.
“If Jerusalem wins, hopefully he wins, I will obviously move and try to do the world title as soon as possible. Maybe in September or October. If Jerusalem loses, then I will speak to the WBC and secure a final eliminator on the 31st of May. We will feature Kuse on the undercard of (Shervantaigh) Koopman and (Uisma) Lima. Either way, I’m intent on getting that title.”
Tengimfene said wheb contacted: “Kuse is gone to Johannesburg. This matter came to me officially and the plan is for him to challenge for the world title. This is an agreement between all parties concerned.” – Monwabisi Jimlongo
