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Johannesburg - Boxing impresario Bronco Milenkovic has revealed that arrangements have been concluded for four of South Africa's leading boxers to participate in either IBF title fights or mandatory eliminators to challenge for the organisation's world titles.
The South African boxers involved are unbeaten IBF mini-flyweight champion Nkosinathi Joyi, who is rated by Ring Magazine as the number one fighter in the world in his division, IBF flyweight champion Moruti Mthalane, mandatory IBF junior-bantamweight challenger Zolani Tete and mandatory IBF junior-featherweight challenger Takalani Ndlovu.
"The IBF, along with the WBA, the WBC and the WBO are universally recognised as the four leading boxing associations in the world," said BSP promoter Milenkovic.
"It is a major boost for South African boxing that the country's fighters continue to feature so prominently as champions and champion contenders of the organisation."
Mthalane, with a record of 28 wins and only two defeats from his 30 fights, will make a mandatory defence against Mexican
Ricardo Nunez, who is the number one challenger, and like the South African champion has only been beaten twice in his 26 fights.
Joyi, who is considered the top pound-for-pound boxer in South Africa, will make a voluntary defence of his title in Mexico against a yet undecided, but leading ranked Mexican opponent.
Tete, the number five challenger, tackles unbeaten Roberto Sosa, who is one of Argentina's foremost boxers with a record of 23 wins from 23 fights.
And two-time former champion Ndlovu meets Mexican Alejandro Lopez in a mandatory junior-featherweight eliminator for the dual titles held by the fearsome Nonito Donaire.
Donaire deprived South African Jeffrey Mathebula of his IBF title earlier this month in an action-packed unification bout that confirmed the WBO and now IBF champion's status as one of the leading pound-for-pound boxers in the world.
Milenkovic said all four IBF bouts involving the South Africans would take place within the next couple of months, with venues still to be decided.
"I'm hoping at least one or two of these fights will be staged in South Africa," said the BSP promoter, "but South African boxing still has a shortage of sponsorship and is unable to match the purses that are being offered overseas, particularly in the United
States where our boxers can earn big dollars."
The South African boxers involved are unbeaten IBF mini-flyweight champion Nkosinathi Joyi, who is rated by Ring Magazine as the number one fighter in the world in his division, IBF flyweight champion Moruti Mthalane, mandatory IBF junior-bantamweight challenger Zolani Tete and mandatory IBF junior-featherweight challenger Takalani Ndlovu.
"The IBF, along with the WBA, the WBC and the WBO are universally recognised as the four leading boxing associations in the world," said BSP promoter Milenkovic.
"It is a major boost for South African boxing that the country's fighters continue to feature so prominently as champions and champion contenders of the organisation."
Mthalane, with a record of 28 wins and only two defeats from his 30 fights, will make a mandatory defence against Mexican
Ricardo Nunez, who is the number one challenger, and like the South African champion has only been beaten twice in his 26 fights.
Joyi, who is considered the top pound-for-pound boxer in South Africa, will make a voluntary defence of his title in Mexico against a yet undecided, but leading ranked Mexican opponent.
Tete, the number five challenger, tackles unbeaten Roberto Sosa, who is one of Argentina's foremost boxers with a record of 23 wins from 23 fights.
And two-time former champion Ndlovu meets Mexican Alejandro Lopez in a mandatory junior-featherweight eliminator for the dual titles held by the fearsome Nonito Donaire.
Donaire deprived South African Jeffrey Mathebula of his IBF title earlier this month in an action-packed unification bout that confirmed the WBO and now IBF champion's status as one of the leading pound-for-pound boxers in the world.
Milenkovic said all four IBF bouts involving the South Africans would take place within the next couple of months, with venues still to be decided.
"I'm hoping at least one or two of these fights will be staged in South Africa," said the BSP promoter, "but South African boxing still has a shortage of sponsorship and is unable to match the purses that are being offered overseas, particularly in the United
States where our boxers can earn big dollars."
