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Early Christmas cracker for fight fans

Bongani Magasela

Bongani Magasela

Knockout Boxing Promotions bosses Philip Silver, Jeff Ellis and Allan Young have prepared the mother of all box-and-dine tournaments at Emperors Palace on November 21.

They say their 10-bout programme is a mouthwatering bill that is evenly matched.

Clearly the three musketeers, who started the concept of box-and-dine 10 years ago, expect all the fighters to provide diners with the kind of excitement that will linger in their minds throughout the festive season.

It has been aptly called the "Christmas Cracker".

The tournament will involve fighters from Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Namibia, Ivory Coast and Nigeria.

They are Stephen Nzuemba (Gabon), Lefombou Ngoma (DRC), Isaac Chilembe (Malawi), Bernard Nguessan (Ivory Coast), Nestor Bolum (Nigeria) and Wilberforce Shihepo (Namibia).

The top five are all based here while Shihepo is the only one who is still based at home.

Nzuemba is trained by Norman Hlabane, Ngoma and Nguessan are with Manny Fernandez, Chilembe is under Nick Durandt while Bolum is trained by Eugene Khanyile.

These foreign fighters have forcefully taken a large slice of the limelight from local boxers due to their hunger and determination to conquer.

Nzuemba will fight Khotso Motau in the super middleweight division over four rounds, while Ngoma will do battle with Welcome Ntshingila over six rounds. Nguessan will fight Tony Eleftherio and Bolum will take on Klaas Mboyane, both over four rounds.

Shihepo and Chilembe will meet for the second time in the super middleweight category over six rounds. Their first clash, a bloody battle over eight rounds, was won by Shihepo, who is trained by Nestor Tobias.

Rupert van Aswegen and Emmanuel Duma will meet in a local shootout in the super middleweight class over six rounds. Heavyweight hopeful Basil "No Apologies" Ray has vowed to knock out Bull Maravha and earn a rating.

All the fights will be staged at the Theatre of Marcellus.

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