Bongani Magasela

Bongani Magasela

Rupert van Aswegen has left a trail of broken hearts with his losses to fighters that are otherwise far below his class.

This has left doubts about his ability and his throng of followers, who had high hopes that he would take over from uncle Gerrie Coetzee, is decreasing.

There was a buzz among fight enthusiasts when Van Aswegen defeated the tough as nails Johan Sinden in his professional debut in 1997.

But this 30-year-old impressively talented fighter, whose skills are honed by Harold Volbrecht, has failed dismally to live up to expectations.

He had fight enthusiasts on the edge of their seats with his dazzling display against Daniel Bruwer in the light heavyweight division in March.

Aswegen, a middleweight campaigner, handled the much heavier Bruwer craftily for nine rounds but ran out of steam in the 10th round and had to be rescued from destruction.

"The Natural", as Aswegen is affectionately known, has been given an opportunity to redeem himself.

He takes on Capetonian Andile "One by One" Tshongolo over eight rounds in the middleweight class.

Their fight will top Knockout Boxing Promotion's eight-bout card - a box-and-dine tournament at Emperors Palace next Monday night.

Van Aswegen's stable-mate Andre Thysse expects him to stop Tshongolo in three rounds.

"Andile can throw a good punch but he cannot take it," said Thysse, who stopped Tshongolo in the eighth round to register the eighth defence of the South African super middleweight belt that Thysse vacated early this year.

Tshongolo, 35, stopped Mthuthuzeli Qhushu in three rounds for the WBU Intercontinental middleweight title in March 2000 but lost it four months later on a second-round knockout to Cristian Sanavia in Italy.

He has lost his last five fights.