It’s on!
With a history of putting together SA boxing’s best rivalries, Golden Gloves has signed a local superfight between SA mini-flyweight champion Siya Kuse and Zimbabwe tearaway Beaven Sibanda.
The bout, promoted in conjunction with Mla Tengimfene’s Last Born Promotions, will see the pair contest the WBC Silver strawweight belt at Emperors Palace on December 6.
Kuse, ranked ninth, won the SA championship in just his fifth pro bout and has won plaudits for dominating his last three opponents. These include reversing a narrow defeat to Bangile Nyangani to win the SA belt for a second time, last year.
The southpaw is one of the hottest properties in SA boxing, which explains promoter Rodney Berman’s delight in securing his signature.
“This has shades of Hawk Makepula against Baby Jake Matlala almost 25 years ago,” said Berman, his excitement palpable. “Even now, I remember the needle and the two little guys produced a fantastic fight.
“I’m humbled to be promoting this with an old friend in Mla, especially after the golden years with the late Mzi Mnguni, who remains much loved and whose partnership is terribly missed.”
Makepula and Matlala fought in 2000 and provided a powerful reminder of the inevitable tear-up that well-matched local fights deliver.
Sibanda, in turn, has yet to taste defeat in seven starts and is rated number 15 by the WBC. The Zimbabwe émigré boxed with supreme composure last time out, seeing off the vastly more experienced Siphamandla Baleni in June.
“Beaven is good, but not in my lane,” said Kuse from his Eastern Cape base. “People say I’m scared, but now the fight’s on. It’s gonna be a great fight, but I will make it easy. I will stop him. This is a little boy, he’s young.”
Kuse, who says he admires Thulani Mbenge, goes into camp next week where he has already lined up a range of sparring partners to mimic the smooth boxing of Sibanda.
It’s mainly Brian Mitchell who has switched SA fans on to Sibanda, forecasting that he will become a world champion. Mitchell is high on Sibanda’s ability, already rating him head and shoulders above local opposition.
The Kuse fight thus represents a big test of Mitchell’s claim.
Said Kuse: “I’ve been working hard. I always wanted to fight the best. I’ve seen Kuse . . . a good fighter, but I’m not concerned.”
Adding to Sibanda’s confidence is his environment. He’s happy in Johannesburg where he’s a popular member of his Edenvale gym and appreciates that trainer Vusi Mtolo is ever present.
“This is the big fight I’ve been looking for,” he said. “It’s for a big belt, so I’m going all out. I’m already hard in training for what should be an amazing fight.”
