The fistic drought is over as boxing returns to Bloemfontein in the Free State on Friday after an absence of almost five years.
Bloemfontein has not hosted a boxing tournament since October 2017 when Osborne Machimana won the then vacant South African heavyweight title following a win over Justice Siliga.
The drought will come to an end as Dream Team Promotions boss Lebo Mahoko has lined up a eight-bout tournament, which is headlined by a clash between one of the oldest active boxers in South Africa Nkululeko ‘Bulldog’ Mhlongo and John Bopape at the Mangaung Indoor Sport Centre.
“Preparations are going very well. We are just about to deliver the biggest tournament this side. Everything is going according to plan. I check the boxers from time to time to make sure that they are ready,” Mahoko said.
The 40-year-old Mhlongo from Eshowe in KwaZulu-Natal is going to put his SA middleweight title on the line when he comes up against Bopape.
This is a rematch of the February 2021 fight where Bopape from Alexandra in Johannesburg stunned Mhlongo winning by a split decision in Durban.
Meanwhile, Kroonstad-born Matshidiso Mokebisi is scheduled to clash with Chiedza Homakoma from Zimbabwe in an eight rounds female junior-lightweight bout.
Mokebisi goes into this fight following a loss to Nozipho Bell in an International Boxing Federation (IBF) Intercontinental female junior-lightweight title contest at the Nangoza Jebel Hall in New Brighton, Gqeberha, last December.
On the other hand, Homakoma was stopped in the seventh round by African Boxing Union (ABU) female junior-lightweight champion Bukiwe Nonina in an eight-round bout in White River, Mpumalanga, in December last year.
Other bouts:
Eight rounds:
Junior-middleweight:
Jackson Kaptein v Junior Makondo
Six rounders:
Flyweight:
Zolile Miya v Mpho Seforo
Female junior-featherweight:
Nosiacwase Dube v Sehlisiwe Ntliziyo
Four rounders:
Light-heavyweight:
Kagiso Hlungwani v Jason Amisi Medi
Junior-flyweight:
Musa Ntlangula v Mandla Nxele
Middleweight:
Vuyani Kosana v Giresse Wingui
