Joseph Makaringe's trainer Nick Durandt says his charge will use his big frame to beat Isaac Hlatshwayo in their vacant IBO welterweight title clash at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg on May 12.

Joseph Makaringe's trainer Nick Durandt says his charge will use his big frame to beat Isaac Hlatshwayo in their vacant IBO welterweight title clash at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg on May 12.

Hlatshwayo, a former IBO lightweight champion, will be fighting in the welterweight division for the second time since his one-sided drubbing at the hands of American fighter Kendall Holt in November last year.

The loss was the first for the Limpopo fighter, nicknamed "Angel", in 26 bouts. Hlatshwayo's victories against Durandt's fighters in the lightweight division were partly because of his bigger frame.

In the lightweight division Hlatshwayo's victims included Philip Ndou, Cassius Baloyi, Lucky Lewele and Benedict Dlamini, all of whom were trained by Durandt.

But since he moved to the welterweight class, there have been doubts as to whether he will still have his big punch with him.

And Durandt feels Makaringe, who has been fighting as a welterweight throughout his career, will be too much for Hlatshwayo.

"Let's face it, Hlatshwayo was exceptionally strong as a lightweight but once he started meeting guys that were equally as powerful, the so-called fireworks were missing," Durandt said, fanning his already volatile relationship with Hlatshwayo's trainer Manny Fernandez.

"Joseph will be in his face from the opening bell."

Makaringe, a former SA and WBC International welterweight champion, is one of the most underrated fighters in the country because of his often brawling style.

But he still sports an impressive fight record with only three losses in 33 bouts.

In fact, according to Durandt, his charge has lost only once, as he regards two other losses as robberies.

"The only fighter who I recognised as having beaten Makaringe is Jan Bergman," he said. - Sapa