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ray is eager to bust bull

LETHAL WEAPONS: Heavyweight boxers Basil Ray, left, and Bull Muravha will square up at Emperors Palace in Ekurhuleni next month. 13/03/2009. © Sowetan. Pic. Vathiswa Ruselo.
LETHAL WEAPONS: Heavyweight boxers Basil Ray, left, and Bull Muravha will square up at Emperors Palace in Ekurhuleni next month. 13/03/2009. © Sowetan. Pic. Vathiswa Ruselo.

Bongani Magasela

Bongani Magasela

Basil Ray says he is ready to be the matador.

"No Apologies" issued this warning last Friday at a press conference for his rematch with Bull Muravha who defeated him last July at Emperors Palace.

The conference coincided with the official launch of the Hammer Boxing gym of trainer Harold Volbrecht in the south of Johannesburg.

Ray and Muravha will do battle again on April 1 at the same venue as their first clash.

Their six rounder was a closely contested, bloody fight that could have gone either way.

But two judges scored for Muravha while the other scored in favour of Ray.

"Bull is gonna get hit very hard, and if I don't stop him within the distance, then I will definitely punish him," warned Ray, a short and muscular fighter.

Muravha, a naturally shy person, laughed off Ray's bravado.

"I've gone one over in my preparations, so Basil must gear himself for war," warned the big and slightly taller fighter who calls himself "The Bulldozer".

Their fight will top the nine-bout card, a box-and-dine of African Ring whose owner, Jeff Ellis, is promoting it in conjunction with Golden Gloves.

Ellis explained that matching Ray with Muravha is his response to public demand.

"Three hundred people demanded it a few days after their first fight.

"They purchased 300 tickets a day after I announced it," said Ellis who added that all 800 tickets were already sold out.

His jointly promoted tournament comprises nine bouts in all.

Ellis paid tribute to Reuben Rasodi of Golden Gloves for his matchmaking, which he said has gone unnoticed.

Rasodi has been doing this job for Golden Gloves for more than r 30 years.

Meanwhile, Tommy Oosthuizen promised to bring all his "guns" for Semanda Shabane, with Heine van Bosch making a comeback against Sean Santana.

Bosch last fought on February 4 2006 while Santana has not seen action since being poleaxed last November by Soon Botes in less than a minute.

Robbie Lombard, Sheldon Human and Johnny Mulder will make their professional debuts in the heavyweight division in other undercard fights.

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