South Africa Update!
Wednesday, July 23 2008
By Ron Jackson
Branco Milenkovic of Branco Sports Productions presents three African Boxing Union titles at the Carousel Casino in Hammanskraal just north of Pretoria on Friday night featuring four South Africans. South Africa’s Chris van Heerden 9-0-1; 7 challenges Hassan Saku of Uganda 9-5; 8 who will be making the first defence of his title that he won after stopping Bagaza Mwambene in the third round in December 2007. Since winning the title Saku has lost to Albert Starikov, Allan Vester and Emanuele Della Rosa all on points. In a battle of southpaws the unbeaten Van Heerden should have enough skills to outpoint the rugged Saku who has only been stopped once inside the distance and that was to Anton Solopov of Russia in February 2007. The 34-year-old Simon Ramoni, a former South African junior bantamweight and IBO super bantamweight champion 27-11-1; 17 faces the inexperienced Lesley Sekotswe 7-0; 5 for the vacant ABU super flyweight title. Ramoni who has four losses and a draw in his last five fights will have to lift his game against the talented Sekotswe who looked most impressive in his last fight in February this year when he stopped Shadrack Makama. In an all South African clash southpaw Gabriel Pakhula 21-6; 8 meets Jasper Seroka 15-1; 7 for the vacant ABU super featherweight title. Seroka whose only loss was to former IBF junior lightweight champion Malcolm Klassen has also outpointed Phakula over six rounds in February 2006 and should have the edge in this one.
Meanwhile it has been reported that Ali Funeka who has just come of a sensational fourth round stoppage win over Zahir Raheem in an eliminator for the IBF lightweight title has signed a two year contract with promoter Mzi Mnguni even though he fought under the Branco Sports Productions banner against Raheem.
Lubabalo Msuthu 9-2; 8 is scheduled to meet Ibrahim Adewale of Nigeria for the vacant WBC International bantamweight title in Nigeria on August 31.
Former South African featherweight champion and WBU junior lightweight belt holder Phillip Ndou, 31, has teamed up with former fighter Michele Castellan hoping to develop young fighters. They will operate out of Castelan’s Boxercise Gym in Norwood.
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