Intentionally defying his age, veteran boxer and former world champion, Jackson ‘M3’ Chauke from Tembisa in Ekurhuleni, has set his sights on fighting for the South African junior-bantamweight title.
Rated number one in the junior-bantamweight division, the former SA and International Boxing Organisation (IBO) flyweight champion wants current SA titleholder, Moyisi Booi, to put his crown on the line against him.
“Yes, we’ve put in a challenge form for the SA title. We want our shot,” Chauke’s manager-cum-trainer, Damien Durandt, confirmed.
After losing his IBO flyweight title via a second round stoppage to Ricardo ‘Magic Man’ Malajika, the reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) junior-bantamweight king, in March last year and also suffered a points loss to Ndabezinhle Phiri in a WBC Africa bout in November, Chauke bounced back with a points win over erstwhile IBO minimumweight, junior-flyweight and junior-bantamweight titlist, Gideon Buthelezi, in July.
Chauke ruled the SA flyweight division for almost five years, making five successful defences in the process. Thst was before he relinquished the SA title following his win over Afghanistan-born Briton, Quaise Khademi, in a fight for the IBO flyweight crown in January 2024. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
