World class boxing returns to the Big Top Arena at Carnival City in Brakpan when Branco Sports Production (BSP) stages the highly anticipated rematch between defending IBF junior featherweight champion Takalani Ndlovu and Jeffrey Mathebula on March 24.
The venue is steeped in boxing history following hosting memorable fights such as the world heavyweight championship between Lennox Lewis and Hasim Rahman in 2001 and first legitimate world female title to be held on the continent when local lass Noni Tenge dethroned New Zealand Daniella Smith to capture the IBF women world welterweight crown last June.
Tenge’s historic feat was the last boxing event to be held at the venue but the Ndlovu-Mathebula clash is expected to be yet another boxing show to remember.
The duo fought at the very same arena to exhilarating spilt decision outcome on September 1, 2010 in an IBF title eliminator when Ndlovu (33-6, 18 Kos) was given the nod by 114-113 and way off the mark 118-109 margins.
The outcome left IBF top executives such as championship chairman Lindsey Tucker perplexed as he battled to make sense of the discrepancy in the tallying of points.
It later emerged that judge Jaap Van Niewenhuizen whose original score favored Ndlovu, had in fact awarded the fight to Mathebula by 114-113 margin but that was little comfort for Mathebula as he still ended up on the losing side of the outcome.
Mathebula (25-3-2, 14 Kos) dusted himself off and launched another valiant effort at the IBF title when he scored a decision over Oscar Chauke in a title eliminator on the Tenge-Smith undercard to set up a rematch against Ndlovu.
Ndlovu, meanwhile, justified his controversy-tainted victory when against all odds he dethroned Canadian nemeses Steve Molitor on March 26 2011, avenging his two previous losses to the Canadian.
Seven months later he travelled to Mexico where he saw off a stiff challenge of local hero Giovanni Caro, picking himself off the canvas in the first round to triumph on points.
BSP boss Branco Milenkovic whose bouts often win Fight of the Year honors, says the Ndlovu-Mathebula rematch was perfect bout to be staged in the historic venue such as the Carnival City.
“We could not have asked for a more grudge match than the Ndlovu-Mathebula clash for our return to the Carnival City,” he says.
“This is the fight that needs no marketing because it markets itself after the war the two fighters waged in their first bout.”
Indeed since Mathebula was declared a loser, he has been crying on Milenkovic’s shoulder to grant him a rematch against Ndlovu and when he took care of business against Chauke his wish was virtually granted even though the return bout still needed the IBF’s rubber- stamping.
Mathebula, a former Olympian, has been blighted by bad luck just when he is on the verge of winning a world championship.
In April of 2009 he appeared to have captured the WBA and IBF titles from Panamanian super star Celestino Caballero-who has since moved up to the featherweight to lift the WBA crown- only to be declared a loser much to the chagrin of Panamanian media which labeled the outcome as “Robbery”.
Now he believes it will be the third time lucky when he takes on Ndlovu for what he feels is his own title.
“Justice will be served this time around,” he concluded.
While sources have revealed that SABC is ready to come on board for this eagerly-anticipated clash after subjecting boxing tournament to unending blackout, Milenkovic insists that nothing has been finalized with the public broadcaster.
Tickets, starting at R50, are already available at Computicket.
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