Unbeaten featherweight champion Asanda Gingqi’s fight against Russian Olympic gold medallist Albert Batyrgaziev, which was scheduled for next month, has fallen through.
Now Gingqi is going to defend his SA title against his stablemate Zolisa Batyi in East London on Sunday, 27 March. Both boxers are trained by Khangelani Jack in Mdantsane.
Problems with the Batyrgaziev fight started after the Russian’s promoters enquired about Lerato Dlamini’s availability for an International Boxing Federation (IBF) Intercontinental featherweight title contest.
However, Dlamini’s trainer Colin Nathan turned the Russians down telling them that his boxer was not available as he’s on the verge of fighting for a world title.
“Yes, we are going to defend against Batyi next month. The fight in Russia it not happening anymore. The organisers have cited the on-going war between Russia and Ukraine as the cause of the cancellation of the fight,” Gingqi’s manager Khanyisa Jekwa confirmed.
Gingqi has not fought since he defeated Abdul-Aziz Kunert to win the SA featherweight title in Johannesburg in September last year while his Mdantsane homeboy Batyi stopped Phila Gola in October.
