It’s a busy start to the new year, and promoter Rodney Berman would want it no other way.
He’s already lined up several major fights to start 2025, signaling renewed focus on many of South Africa’s most important boxers.
The action starts as soon as March 1 with the much awaited IBO flyweight championship bout between Ricardo Malajika and Jackson Chauke, a showdown for the ages that is expected to light up Emperors Palace.
Win or lose, Malajika will then defend his IBO super flyweight belt against Elton Dharry in Guyana on May 3. The New York-based Dharry is rated number four by the WBA and is vastly more experienced, with 36 bouts to his credit.
Malajika’s belt won’t be on the line when he fights Chauke, although local pride will be as he seeks to amplify his status as one of the best in the world.
Meanwhile, local favourite Roarke Knapp will venture overseas to take on unbeaten Bakare Samake in France for the WBC Silver belt at junior middleweight on April 18.
The usual risk applies – fighting in an opponent’s backyard without home support – but Berman is among those who believes in Knapp’s ability. Moreover, he has long subscribed to the belief that an out-of-town robbery, always a possibility, can be as good as a win given that home cooking is loathed in boxing.
Happily, Berman has retained the television rights for both Malajika and Knapp’s fights, ensuring that local fans will get to enjoy the live action on SuperSport.
Keeping up the momentum, Berman will be partnering with Matt Leisching, the fast-rising trainer, for an event in Cape Town in April. It will include the debut of Golden Gloves’ first Muslim women’s fighter in Saarah Karriem, plus outings for Cape Town’s own Dylan Prosser and Dean Promnick, both unbeaten and among the province’s best prospects.
Separately, enquiries have been made to WBC strawweight champion Melvin Jerusalem regarding a title defence against Siya Kuse, whose stocks shot up after his outstanding recent win against Beaven Sibanda.
Jerusalem’s camp have provisionally agreed to the fight provided he gets through his next title defence.
Sibanda, too, is likely to have a big fight with negotiations ongoing for the WBC Silver belt.
Berman is also planning a championship fight for Shervantaigh Koopman, the explosive junior middleweight who keeps producing the goods. The preferred path is the IBO belt, held by Angolan-born Portuguese Uisma Lima.
Berman, as ever, has been in touch.
