John ‘Section 29’ Bopape is honoured to fight at a TLB Boxing Promotions tournament, which remembers the late former world champion Lehlohonolo ‘Hands of Stone’ Ledwaba.
Bopape is scheduled to make the first defence of his South African middleweight title when he clashes with Snamiso Ntuli at the Dlamini Hall, Soweto, on Sunday, 31 July.
This tournament remembers Ledwaba, a former International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior-featherweight, World Boxing Union (WBU) bantamweight and featherweight champion, who passed away aged 49 in July last year.
“It’s a dream for me to be associated with such a name. I’m really honoured to have been chosen to fight in this tournament. I’m very happy and grateful for every opportunity I get here in South Africa,” Bopape remarked.
Bopape won the SA title when he stopped veteran boxer Nkululeko Mhlongo in the 11th round at the Mangaung Indoor Centre in Bloemfontein in April.
And Alexandra-based Bopape is meeting Ntuli for the second time. He stopped Ntuli in the third round in the first fight held at the Msane Hall in Mtubatuba in May 2015.
“He knows what happened the last time we met. He saw stars. He was counting stars the last time I saw him. I have improved a lot since my last fight, which was against Nkululeko Mhlongo,” Bopape said.
Meanwhile, Zolile Miya and Tiisetso Modisadife are going to fight for the vacant Gauteng flyweight title over 10 rounds.
Other bouts:
Eight rounders:
Tsiko Mulovhedzi v Harry Simon Junior
Junior-welterweight:
Marcus Lebogo v Chumani Tunzi
Female lightweight:
Bonita van Jaarseveldt v Raider Muleba
Six rounds:
Featherweight:
Vusi Ngcamu v Siphamandla Manqatha
Four rounders:
Flyweight: Andile Cindi v Frank Sotomela
Welterweight:
Coresh Mboweni v Aaron Muteba
