Bongani Magasela

Bongani Magasela

The annual Mangaung Cultural Festival run by the the Free State government will for the first time include the fisticuffs sport as part of its social programme designed for nation building.

First held in 1997 in Bloemfontein, Macufe has always featured local and international artists in jazz, gospel, kwaito, hip-hop, R&B, rock and classical music. The festival, which attracts over 100000 people from SA, Africa and the world, will on October 10 involve an eight-bout professional boxing tournament - thanks to Ace Magashule, the MEC for sports, arts and culture in the Free State.

This tournament will be presented at the City Hall by Free State top boxing promoter Blacky Seoe under the banner of Robs Promotions. It boasts a South African champion, two holders of WBF and two WBA Pan African championship belts.

It will be showtime for Seoe's charges Bongani "Cyclones" Mwelase, William "Dynamite" Gare, Samuel Malinga, Kgotso Motau and Thabiso "The Rock" Mchunu.

Mwelase and Bethuel Ushona (Namibia) will fight for the WBF welterweight vacant belt, Gare's WBF super middleweight strap will be in line against Jindrich Velecky (Czech Republic) while Malinga's SA, and the vacant WBA Pan African junior welterweight belts will be at stake against Kaizer Mabuza.

Motau will dust off his cobweb in an international eight rounder with Willbeforce Shihepo (Namibia) while Mchunu will oppose Marciano Commey Commey (Ghana) for the WBA Pan African cruiserweight belt.

Seoe said he was excited to be part of this annual event which will showcase the ability of the Free State to stage and host major events.

Boxing will start at 6pm.