One of South Africa’s unluckiest boxers, Aphiwe ‘Swagger’ Boyiya, might get lucky this time around as his fight against Botswana national, Kutlwano Ogaketse, is back on after it was postponed twice.
Thuso Khubamang’s Scud Missile Promotions has announced that the the two-time and two-weight division SA champion will fight against Ogaketse in an International Boxing Organisation (IBO) Africa junior-welterweight title contest at the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC) on Friday, 18 September.
Initially, Boyiya and Ogaketse were scheduled to face each other in April, but their fight got postponed to May only for it to be cancelled at the last minute.
Even an opportunity to fight for the vacant SA junior-welterweight title slipped through his fingers. He was due to have met Sipho Mahlangu for the vacant title in May last year, but that fight never materialised after Sibusiso Zingange’s handlers refused to sign a step aside letter. And a clash against Zingange for the vacant title failed to take place on more than two occasions.
Boyiya, an erstwhile SA junior-featherweight and junior-lightweight titlist, has not fought since he defeated Lindokuhle Dlamini on points at the Orient Theatre, KuGompo City, in November 2024. And his inactivity has cost him a place in the Boxing South Africa (BSA) ratings.
