THE match-up between Zolani "The Untouchable" Marali and Kaizer "The Animal" Mabuza on Friday night is not for the faint-hearted, warns trainer Alan Toweel jnr.

"This is going to be war from the word go and bones could crack, so fans who cannot take strong action should stay away, " said Toweel.

"Whomever wins this bout will have worked extra hard and that is Zolani. But the truth is, it will a very tough fight."

Toweel trains Marali, whose WBF junior welterweight belt will be on the line at East London's International Convention Centre. Marali, 37, from Mdantsane, East London, will attempt to make the second defence of the title he won from his homeboy Ali "Rush Hour" Funeka last year.

"I think this is the best- matched bout in the country in the past six months," said Toweel. "We don't underestimate Kaizer. He is a strong fighter who has fought the best guys. But Zolani is in great shape after having tremendous sparring against Paul Kamanga, Malcolm Klassen and Earl Strydom. We used Paul and Malcolm for speed and Earl, a super middleweight fighter, for strength. Zolani should be able to handle anything that Kaizer brings to the fight."

Their bout will form part of promoter Ayanda Matiti's four-championship box-and-dine card dubbed Champions Night.

The IBO super flyweight fight between champion Edrin "The Sting" Dapudong from the Philippines and Lwandile "Angel" Sityatha from Mdantsane was saved at the eleventh hour.

The champion's manager, Manny Pinol, threatened to pull out after learning that the IBO had appointed South Africans Sazi Xamlashe from Johannesburg and East Londoner Andile Matika as judges.

"I told IBO president Ed Levine that I will not allow my boy to fight under those conditions. He fixed it and appointed Bruce McTavish to be the referee and I agreed to fight," said Pinol. McTavish is a New Zealander who lives in the Philippines.

Xamlashe has been replaced by Eddie Pappoe from Ghana.