Spartacus could be Makhense's worst nightmare

The true character of Jabulani Makhense, who is seen by some as boxing’s hot property, will be tested next Thursday night when he faces human hurricane in Henqriue “Spartacus” Lando from Angola. 

They will oppose each other for the vacant IBF Africa welterweight boxing title in ESPN Africa 22 tournament at The Galleria Hall in Sandton. 

The international tournament will be organised by promoter Sifiso Shongwe of The Walt Disney Company Africa. 

Makhense, the lanky fighter who is trained in Pretoria by former world champ Sebastiaan Rothmann, is a capable athlete with almost everything in right places for one to box. 

Golden Gloves, who gave him his first professional fight, sang his praises, especially when he swept every opponent away on his path to winning the minimal WBA Pan African title in the junior welterweights in 2019. 

He added the IBF Continental Africa belt in 2020 and remained undefeated after nine fights with four stoppages. Makhense, who can easily be mistaken for former WBA welterweight holder Mark Breland, was then overmatched with vastly experienced SA welterweight champion Thulani “Tulz” Mbenge, and the former IBO, ABU and WBC International titlist blew Makhense away in three rounds. 

That defeat ended Makhense’s relationship with Golden Gloves. He’s had two fights under different promoters and he won both those fights by stoppages. Makhense now faces an unpredictable character of a fighter in Lando. 

The Angolan, who made his pro debut in Cape Town in 2018 and lost to Congolese Emmany “The General” Kalombo and  Shervontaigh Koopman, bounced back to stop Onke Duku in the ninth round in Soweto on April 24. Lando enjoys putting his opponents on the back foot but Makhense does not enjoy fighting backwards. 

In the main attraction, Sikho “Sequence” Nqothole and Denmark Quibido of the Philippines will meet for the vacant WBO Global junior bantamweight title.

Action will begin at 6pm.