LOVEMORE Ndou will be crowned the new IBO welterweight champion tomorrow night after beating Phillip Ndou within the scheduled 12 rounds at Emperors Palace.
This will be an emotional fight. Phillip, 32, has made Lovemore very angry by promising to send the 37-year-old into retirement and end an illustrious career that started in 1993.
Phillip even became xenophobic, labelling the Australia-based Musina-born fighter a foreigner.
Lovemore, who has been based in Australia for almost 15 years, almost lost his composure from Phillip's trash talking. Only his maturity helped him keep his cool. This fight will be won by experience, which Lovemore has in abundance. In fact the fighte,r who thinks he is young enough to beat an "old man", might be in trouble. The quiet Lovemore seems to have a game plan. He is here to fight.
Credit to Phillip though. He did well to promote their fight. He even outshone Muhammad Ali.
Hopefully fans, who paid R150 and R250 to be part of the crowd in the Golden Gloves Triple Thunder event, will get value for their money.
There have been great fights here but with less marketing because promoters have always been the big talkers, but Rodney Berman left it to Phillip and Lovemore to sell it. It must be said that Phillip will enjoy height and reach advantage. He will need to be on the bicycle all night long while throwing leather to keep Lovemore at bay. That will require 200percent fitness and Phillip does not appear to be in top condition for 12 hectic rounds.
The moment he decides to stand and trade punches with Lovemore it will be over. Lovemore is a pressure fighter.
Infighting is what he loves, enjoys and knows best. His biggest advantage over and above experience is that he is a fully fledged welterweight.
- magaselab@sowetan.co.za
lovemore to win inside 12 rounds
LOVEMORE Ndou will be crowned the new IBO welterweight champion tomorrow night after beating Phillip Ndou within the scheduled 12 rounds at Emperors Palace.
This will be an emotional fight. Phillip, 32, has made Lovemore very angry by promising to send the 37-year-old into retirement and end an illustrious career that started in 1993.
Phillip even became xenophobic, labelling the Australia-based Musina-born fighter a foreigner.
Lovemore, who has been based in Australia for almost 15 years, almost lost his composure from Phillip's trash talking. Only his maturity helped him keep his cool. This fight will be won by experience, which Lovemore has in abundance. In fact the fighte,r who thinks he is young enough to beat an "old man", might be in trouble. The quiet Lovemore seems to have a game plan. He is here to fight.
Credit to Phillip though. He did well to promote their fight. He even outshone Muhammad Ali.
Hopefully fans, who paid R150 and R250 to be part of the crowd in the Golden Gloves Triple Thunder event, will get value for their money.
There have been great fights here but with less marketing because promoters have always been the big talkers, but Rodney Berman left it to Phillip and Lovemore to sell it. It must be said that Phillip will enjoy height and reach advantage. He will need to be on the bicycle all night long while throwing leather to keep Lovemore at bay. That will require 200percent fitness and Phillip does not appear to be in top condition for 12 hectic rounds.
The moment he decides to stand and trade punches with Lovemore it will be over. Lovemore is a pressure fighter.
Infighting is what he loves, enjoys and knows best. His biggest advantage over and above experience is that he is a fully fledged welterweight.
- magaselab@sowetan.co.za