Berman announces bumper bill for Emperors Palace

By Ron Jackson

At a press conference held on Thursday, Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves Promotions announced a bumper bill to be held at Emperors Palace near Kempton Park on March 3 which will be headed by Thomas Oosthuizen in defense of his IBO super middleweight belt against Serge Yannick. The southpaw Oosthuizen (17-0-1, 12 KOs), who celebrates his 24th birthday on April 2, will be making the fourth defence of his belt against the 28-year-old Yannick (14-1, 7 KOs) who was born in the Cameroon but who now fights out of Australia. Yannick the current PABA super middleweight champion suffered his only loss in December 2009 when he was outpointed by Michael Bolling. Oosthuizen must impress in this fight as there are plans for him to feature in the United States this year under the guidance of promoter Lou DiBella.

The 30-year-old Kaizer Mabuza (23-8-3, 14 KOs) a former South African, WBA Pan African and IBF Intercontinental junior welterweight champion will be having his third crack at winning a “world” title when faces Australian Steve Wills (16-0-2, 9 KOs) in a clash for the vacant IBO junior welterweight belt.

In 2011 he lost to Zab Judah in a fight for the vacant IBF junior welterweight belt and then moving up to welterweight he was outpointed by Chris van Heerden in a closely contested bout fort the IBO belt.

However, he faces a tough one in the taller Wills who fights from the southpaw stance. In his most recent fight Wills won the WBO Asia Pacific light welterweight title when he stopped Venance Mponji in two rounds.

In what could be the two best fights of the night, former South African junior lightweight champion Sipho Taliwe (17-2-1, 14 KOs) defends his WBC junior lightweight title against the promising Joey Stiglingh (14-1, 8 KOs) and in a potential slugfest Flo Simba (11-2, 10 KOs) will be hoping to get his career back on track against the rugged Daniel Bruwer (23-3-1, 19 KOs) a former South African light heavyweight champion, after his devastating stoppage loss to Danie Venter.

The Bruwer vs. Simba fight will be at a weight limit of 91kg.

January 27th, 2012

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