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Johannesburg - Boxing fans will celebrate Human Rights Day and 21 years of South Africa’s constitutional democracy with a world-class tournament at Ekurhuleni Indoor Sports Centre in Kempton Park on March 31.
This will be the first time that a boxing ring will be the stage on which to pay tribute to this country’s milestones.
Topping the Xaba Promotions and SuperSport bill will be the International Boxing Organisation (IBO) super flyweight title featuring champion Gideon “Hardcore” Buthelezi and Mexico’s Angel “Puma” Aviles.
Buthelezi is so excited to fight on the top-liner of the showdown that he has promised to give his fans a good match.
One of the country’s most exciting southpaws, he is renowned for crowding his opponents before unleashing a left hook, catching them off guard.
He will hopefully be using the same tactic to enthral the crowd, which is expected to fill up the venue in this box-and-dine event.
“Topping the bill of a tournament marking such key moments on the South African calendar is special for me. I’m looking forward to dishing out a great showing on the night to make an impressive title defence,” said Buthelezi, who hails from Boipatong in Gauteng.
Undercard
He won the then-vacant title when he beat Makazole Tete by points at the Orient Theatre, East London, in 2015.
He beat Hekkie Budler by a split decision in 2011 to lift the IBO light-flyweight belt at Emperors Palace, Johannesburg.
Buthelezi has won 18 matches and lost five in 23 bouts.
Aviles boasts 12 wins, four defeats and one draw from 17 bouts.
The main fight on the undercard will be the vacant African Boxing Union middleweight championship bout between Alfonso Tissen and Xolani Mvubu, who are from Gauteng.
In another bout that promises fireworks, Ruann Visser will take on Ghanaian Paakwesi Ankrah over eight rounds in the heavyweight division.
The rest of the bill:
Athenkosi Dumezweni (Eastern Cape) vs Sihle Jelwana (Gauteng) – junior bantamweight; Prince Ndlovu (Gauteng) vs Nkosinathi Ntshangase (Gauteng) – lightweight; Warren le Roux (Gauteng) vs Wikus Ludeke (Mpumalanga) – heavyweight; Yanga Sigqibo (Eastern Cape) vs Zolile Miya (Gauteng) – flyweight; and Danie van Heerden (Gauteng) vs Kenneth Nkosi (Gauteng) – heavyweight.
