After scoring a points win over former South African junior-flyweight champion Nhlanhla Tyirha in Cape Town last month, Beaven Sibanda has now lined up a clash against Richard Garde.
Sibanda and the Filipino boxer will trade leather when they square up for the IBF International minimumweight title at the Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, in July.
This is going to be Sibanda’s first fight at the Kempton Park venue since he lost to Siyakholwa Kuse in a World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver minimumweight title fight in December last year.
“Beaven will be fighting in July against a boxer from the Philippines. He’s been working very hard, sparring with Kuse. They have a very good understanding with each other,” Vusi Mtolo, who trains both Sibanda and Kuse, said.
Sibanda has notched up eight victories with two knockouts and a single loss while Garde, a former Philippines minimumweight champion, is a formidable opponent who has an almost 82 percent knockout ratio. The 28-year-old Garde has a professional record of 11 wins with nine knockouts and two losses.
Garde’s last fight was a unanimous decision win over his compatriot Ariston Aton in an eight rounds bout in February this year. Aton had lost nine times and drawn once before losing to Garde. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
