A fascinating local fight is in the works – provided Ryno Liebenberg plays his part.
Golden Gloves has contracted colourful SA super-middleweight champion Lee Dyer to defend his belt against Liebenberg in May.
Liebenberg, the SA light-heavyweight champion, walks around the super-middleweight limit and has no problem making the weight, having many times spoken of dropping down a division.
This, of course, is contingent on Liebenberg not ending up on his back against Germany’s Enrico Koelling at Emperors Palace this weekend. As unlikely as that scenario appears, boxing is full of shocks, so Rodney Berman is taking a low-brow approach to the possibility of Dyer versus Liebenberg. For now, at least.
“I’m thinking ahead, but the reality is that at 32, Ryno could still have a great future. If he beats Koelling, he’s back in the pound seats. And a Dyer fight would satisfy his yearning to box at super-middle.”
Berman said there would still be needle in a Dyer fight even if Liebenberg lost this weekend, arguing that the veteran is unmatched at local level and Dyer had shown excellent form in destroying Giovanni Bushby last time out.
Dyer came into his own when winning the SA title against Balema Weliya and has a style that suggests he and Liebenberg would produce a cracking fight, however long it lasts.
