With Siyakholwa Kuse facing Filipino boxer Joey Canoy in less than three months’ time, Rodney Berman is planning to bring World Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem to South Africa.
Kuse clashes with Canoy in a WBC minimumweight title elimination bout at the Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, on Saturday, 28 March. The winner of this fight will get an opportunity to challenge for the WBC minimumweight title.
“Kuse is fighting against Canoy in a final eliminator. Kuse is an outstanding fighter and he’s going to beat Canoy. I plan to bring Jerusalem to South Africa to defend against Kuse,” the veteran boxing promoter said.
Rated number two by the WBC, Kuse put up a very good performance before he lost to Jerusalem on points in Manila, Philippines, in October last year.
Meanwhile, Canoy enjoys being rated by the WBC, International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Association (WBA) and the World Boxing Organisation (WBO).
The 32-year-old Canoy from General Santos City is number one in the WBC, rated ninth by the WBA, eighth in the IBF and rated sixth by the WBO.
And this is going to be Canoy’s fifth visit to South Africa. He is yet to win in South Africa having lost to Nhlanhla Tyirha, Nkosinathi Joyi and Hekkie Budler with his fight against Simphiwe Konkco being declared a no contest. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
