Mdantsane's Moyisi Booi will go ahead with his bout next Friday despite new developments which have boosted his SA junior bantamweight title shot.
Booi was already scheduled to face Siphosethu Mhlahlo in his second bout in the junior bantamweight division when champion Lwando Mgabi forfeited the title on the scales due to being overweight ahead of his title defence against Sechaba Zuma in Estcourt in KwaZulu-Natal last weekend.
Cape Town-based Duncan Village's Mgabi went ahead with the fight, scoring a fifth-round stoppage, rendering the title vacant as only Zuma was eligible to claim it, had he won the match.
This has left Booi, who is expected to be rated second, and Ntethelelo Magcaba as the only highest-rated contenders eligible to contest for the title.
However, Mgabi is still gunning to regain the title, blaming a faulty scale for him being declared above the weight limit.
But Booi’s promoter, Xaba Promotions, who will stage the clash against Mhlahlo, dismissed the possibility of Mgabi getting a shot before Booi’s turn.
“I have already made an offer to the Magcaba camp for him to fight Booi for the vacant title,” XP boss Ayanda Matiti said.
However, reports have revealed that KwaZulu-Natal promoter Nomvelo Magcaba-Shezi is negotiating with Mgabi to face her brother, Ntethelelo, for the vacant title.
Amid all this, Booi is going ahead with his non-title clash against Mhlahlo, despite the risks involved.
Matiti, who will stage the fight as part of the Youth Month commemoration at Abbotsford Christian Centre, said he believed Booi would emerge unscathed from the bout.
“We have the utmost belief in Booi to do the job next Friday and proceed to take the SA title,” he said.
Though Mhlahlo is a relatively safe opponent, having lost his last two bouts to stretch his losses to four with as many wins, boxing has dished out a share of upsets, especially when a big prize is on the horizon.
Booi made his junior bantamweight debut a dramatic one when he needed just two minutes and 22 seconds to destroy Sihle Jelwana at the same venue in April.
Next Friday's show will be headlined by Landile Ngxeke defending his WBO intercontinental title while vying for the IBF international belt against Mexican Eric Gamboa.
SA junior lightweight champion Asanda Gingqi will face Tanzanian Tony Rashid for the ABU crown.
Daily Dispatch
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