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Johannesburg - Trainer Nick Durandt has appealed to local promoter Branco Milenkovic to secure a "home" contest for Jeffrey Mathebula after the fighter secured the right to meet champion Jhonatan Romero for the IBF junior featherweight title.
In what was termed an intriguing decider between two former champions, Mathebula outpointed Takalani Ndlovu in a closely-contested mandatory title eliminator on the African Glory 3 bill at Carnival City, in Brakpan, on Saturday.
The victory earned Mathebula the right to regain the crown he lost in a bruising battle against the highly-rated Nonito Donaire six months ago - a fight in which he had his jaw broken halfway through the 12 rounds.
Donaire, rated among the leading pound-for-pound boxers in the world, has since vacated his IBF title, with Colombian Romero assuming the mantle of champion.
"I'm making this appeal not because I'm scared to travel to Colombia or anywhere else to get a title shot for Jeffrey," Durandt said.
"I'm the most travelled trainer in South Africa and my record speaks for itself.
"But my boxers have suffered from some dicey, heartbreaking judging decisions on foreign soil - and Mathebula is one of them who have been affected in this way in the past."
Milenkovic said a Romero-Mathebula fight in South Africa was a priority, but it would be difficult to secure.
"There is nothing I would like better than to stage this encounter, which will probably be held around October, at Carnival City," Milenkovic said.
"But Romero is the champion and we would have to tempt him to come to South Africa with a lucrative offer.
"Then there is the vital issue of suitable TV coverage for a fight of this stature."
Meanwhile, Durandt praised both Mathebula and Ndlovu for workmanlike performances in the title eliminator.
"I don't think either of them were at their best, but we were only given a little more than four weeks to prepare for the fight," he said.
"This was Jeffrey's first encounter since he had his jaw broken by Donaire."
