Underrated boxer Moruti ''Babyface" Mthalane will dust off the cobwebs when he defends his IBO flyweight title against Filipino Renz ''Jaguar" Rosia at the Olive Convention Centre in Durban next week.

Mthalane, pictured, has not fought since October last year. Trainer Nick ''Mthakathi" Durandt confirmed yesterday that Mthalane will face Rosia, a WBC International champion on December 12.

''The fight will be staged by Ludonga Promotions," said Durandt, whose charge remains one of the few credible boxers in the country. Durandt said they had initially agreed to accept a challenge from Makazole Tete.

''We had answered the call to defend against Makazole but we learnt that he is moving up a weight division. We will display in the fight what was going to happen to him."

Before his last bout in October last year, Mthalane had fought on March 15 when he outpointed Rosia's countryman Jether Oliva for the then vacant IBO strap. Mthalane, 32, had vacated his IBF belt early in that month because he was unhappy with the purse offered for his mandatory defence against Thailand's Amnat Ruenroeng. His skills are no longer as sharp as they used to be and he will face a 27-year-old foe who has had only 15 bouts with 12 wins. Mthalane boasts 20 knockouts from 31 wins against two losses. Promoter Thulani Magudulela said WBA Pan African junior bantamweight champion Siboniso Gonya will defend against Cleutus Mbele in one of the undercard bouts. There will be four other bouts on the bill.