The camp of Mdantsane boxer Siyakholwa Kuse is confident he will get another bite at the WBC mini-flyweight title despite being required to first overcome an elimination obstacle in March.
Kuse will face Filipino Joey Canoy on March 28 at Emperors Palace in a bout that was originally scheduled to take place in July 2025.
The Mdantsane southpaw was scheduled to clash against Canoy for the mandatory WBC spot, with the winner getting a nod to challenge champion Melvin Jerusalem.
Kuse instead got a direct shot at Jerusalem’s title in a bout staged as part of the Thrilla in Manila’s 50th anniversary to commemorate the world heavyweight title clash between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in October.
Despite the odds stacked against him, Kuse put up a gutsy display, giving the Filipino his toughest fight before dropping a unanimous decision when he faded in the championship rounds.
His bold stand persuaded the WBC hierarchy to revive the original elimination bout against Canoy for the winner to get a shot at a rematch.
While Kuse managed to get the world title shot, Canoy has been biding his time for his own pursuit of a rematch against his compatriot Jerusalem, whom he beat long before he became the champion in 2017.
Canoy, whose previous visits to SA have been unsuccessful, as he lost to Hekkie Budler, Nkosinathi Joyi and Nhlanhla Tyirha, has redeemed himself in a spectacular manner by hitting a nine-fight winning streak to shoot to a lofty spot in the world ratings.
After Kuse’s eliminator fell off, Canoy was scheduled to face Kuse’s victim-turned-stablemate Beaven Sibanda, but the Zimbabwean suffered an injury in training.
The Filipino was offered a rematch against Tyirha, which he turned down, preferring to sit out the rest of 2025 after just one bout when beating Vietnamese foe Minh Phat Sam in April.
Canoy, whose losses to Budler, Joyi and Tyirha are part of his five defeats in 32 bouts, will likely be disadvantaged by the long layoff compared to Kuse, who was in action in October.
Kuse’s trainer, Manny Fernandes, said his charge was dialled in for the delayed eliminator.
“Kuse proved against Jerusalem that he is a world-class practitioner and should be able to handle any style in the ring,” he said.
Kuse’s promoter, Rodney Berman, who will stage the fight as part of the Golden Gloves Promotions tournament, dubbed Sole Survivor, promised to move heaven and earth to bring the Jerusalem rematch to SA.
“Kuse needs to win to set up the rematch against Jerusalem, and we will work hard to bring it here,” he said.
The event will feature a rematch between Roarke Knapp and Brandon Thysse after both advanced to the finals of the styled Survivor with wins over Kagiso Bagwasi and Shervantaigh Koopman, respectively, in the semifinals in November.
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