Following an injury to Beaven Sibanda, the Golden Gloves tournament, which is going to be held early next month, is now set to be headlined by a fight between Kaya Mlata and Ardy Katompa from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Sibanda, who was going to defend his IBF International minimumweight title against Filipino boxer Joey Canoy at the Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, on Saturday, 4 October, pulled out of the fight after he snapped an Achilles while sparring.
That has now given unbeaten Mlata an opportunity to try to improve his unblemished record of eight wins with four knockouts as he lines up against Katompa in a World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth junior-featherweight title contest.
“We have decided with our partners Golden Gloves because of the magnitude of the WBC Youth world title between Kaya and Ardy, we are gonna move that fight to the Golden Gloves show in October. That’s great news for us as the management team. That’s great news for Kaya and Ardy,” ML Boxing Manaament’s Matthew Leisching said.
The 24-year-old Mlata, the current Western Cape champion, is rated third in the South African junior-featherweight division.
Originally from KwaBhaca in the Eastern Cape, Mlata defeated Saul Hlungwani early last month. That win was preceded by a victory over erstwhile South African junior-bantamweight titlist Sabelo Ngebiyane in April this year.
And Mlata has, in the process, also beaten former World Boxing Organisation (WBO) bantamweight title contender Siboniso Gonya last October. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
