Siyakholwa Kuse’s preparations for his next fight have taken another turn as his boxing skills are now being honed by veteran trainer Manny Fernandes ahead of his clash against Joey Canoy from the Philippines early in October.
Immediately after his win over Samuel Salva in May, Kuse switched to training under Fernandes as he continues to prepare for the World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver minimumweight title defence, which will also serve as an elimination bout, on Saturday, 4 October.
“I started being trained by Manny after I returned from East London following my last fight,” Mdantsane-born Kuse confirmed.
Fernandes said: “He’s under my wing now. I expect good things from him. I like his movements, I don’t want him to stand still. I want him to be like Ricardo Malajika. I want him to use his angles and boxing IQ.”
Kuse was until recently trained by Vusi Mtolo after he bolted out of All Winners Boxing Club in Mdantsane earlier this year.
The former South African and African Boxing Union (ABU) minimumweight champion is rated number two by the WBC, 14th by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and is ninth in the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) ratings.
Canoy, meanwhile, is third in the WBC, rated 10th by the IBF, 14th in the World Boxing Association (WBA) ratings and is sixth in the WBO. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
