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No room for Funeka at Golden Gloves

Bongani Magasela

Bongani Magasela

Golden days are ahead, especially fighters under the umbrella of Golden Gloves Promotions.

Promoter Rodney Berman said this yesterday before denouncing reports that he wants to include Ali Funeka in his stable, which is already bursting at the seams.

"We have a very busy schedule which begins in October with Cristobal Cruz fighting Orlando Salido for the International Boxing Federation featherweight belt," Berman said.

"I wanted to do this fight here because I intended to donate something to the terminally ill children but Bob Arum turned me down on that request."

He confirmed that Cruz, the Mexican who ended the reign of Mashaba as the International Boxing Organisation king, was now a Golden Gloves Promotions fighter.

"If Cruz wins then doors will be wide open for Takalani Ndlovu and Thomas Mashaba in the featherweight division."

Cruz has vacated the IBO belt to fight Salido, and that enabled Ndlovu to take on Fernando Beltran Junior for that vacant belt in the US on August 22.

Ndlovu jets tomnorrow to fight the man who recently went the distance with IBF junior feather- weight holder Steve Molitor. Ndlovu succumbed in nine against Molitor.

Berman said Isaac Hlatswayo would no longer fight Jackson Osei Bonsu in a World Boxing Boxing Council welterweight title eliminator on November 11. Instead the "Angel" will be involved in an IBF title eliminator.

"We then have an extravaganza at Emperors Palace on September 13 where Cassius Baloyi will defend the IBF junior lightweight title against Javier Osvaldo Alvarez and Isaac Chilembe fighting Charles Adamu for the vacant African Boxing Union super middleweight belt.

"Silence Mabuza will be back in action in October and Mashaba will feature in our Reach for a Dream Foundation tournament on November 17. It could be a rematch with Zolani Marali who Mashaba stopped in nine rounds in 2004.

"Now you tell me where will Ali Funeka fit in here. Our loyal fighters are our priority right now," Berman said in his parting shot.

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