The career of boxer Barend van Rooyen will be on line in his fourth attempt at a South African title tomorrow night.
"Barries", 39, has been a professional boxer for 19 years and the only title he could lay his hands on is the Gauteng middleweight title, which he won last year. Van Rooyen, from Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, will welcome Yanga Phethani from Mdantsane for the vacant SA middleweight title.
The 12-rounder will headline the nine-bout card that will be organised jointly by Real Steel and White Buffalo at Kempton Park Sports Centre near the OR Tambo International Airport.
Van Rooyen, who has boxed 220 rounds in 32 bouts with 25 wins, should enjoy territorial advantage against Phethani who has 12 wins from 14 fights. "Barries", who has only two knockouts, is rated No 2. He was supposed to fight No 1 contender Alfonso Tissen for the vacant title, but Tissen did not qualify because he did not fight three of his last bouts in the middleweight class.
The next available contender was No 3 contender Phethani, who never fought in 2014 and 2015 but won two fights last year. Promoter Andre Thysse said action will begin at 7.30pm.
Then, on Sunday afternoon, Unleashed Combat Sport and BRD Promotions will stage a nine-bout development tournament at Turffontein Racecourse.
SA-based Congolese Clement Kamanga and homeboy Raymond Kupula will top the bill in the junior welterweight division over eight rounds.
Eric Kapia Mukadi from Congo will take on Sean Ness in the junior welterweight division, also over eight rounds.
Kapia intends to use this fight to get a rematch with Thulani "Tulz" Mbenge, who stopped him in the fourth round for the ABU welterweight title last year.
There will be seven more bouts and action will begin at 1pm.
Chance for 'Barries' to win SA title
The career of boxer Barend van Rooyen will be on line in his fourth attempt at a South African title tomorrow night.
"Barries", 39, has been a professional boxer for 19 years and the only title he could lay his hands on is the Gauteng middleweight title, which he won last year. Van Rooyen, from Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, will welcome Yanga Phethani from Mdantsane for the vacant SA middleweight title.
The 12-rounder will headline the nine-bout card that will be organised jointly by Real Steel and White Buffalo at Kempton Park Sports Centre near the OR Tambo International Airport.
Van Rooyen, who has boxed 220 rounds in 32 bouts with 25 wins, should enjoy territorial advantage against Phethani who has 12 wins from 14 fights. "Barries", who has only two knockouts, is rated No 2. He was supposed to fight No 1 contender Alfonso Tissen for the vacant title, but Tissen did not qualify because he did not fight three of his last bouts in the middleweight class.
The next available contender was No 3 contender Phethani, who never fought in 2014 and 2015 but won two fights last year. Promoter Andre Thysse said action will begin at 7.30pm.
Then, on Sunday afternoon, Unleashed Combat Sport and BRD Promotions will stage a nine-bout development tournament at Turffontein Racecourse.
SA-based Congolese Clement Kamanga and homeboy Raymond Kupula will top the bill in the junior welterweight division over eight rounds.
Eric Kapia Mukadi from Congo will take on Sean Ness in the junior welterweight division, also over eight rounds.
Kapia intends to use this fight to get a rematch with Thulani "Tulz" Mbenge, who stopped him in the fourth round for the ABU welterweight title last year.
There will be seven more bouts and action will begin at 1pm.