Colin Nathan has been vocal about his fighters contesting minimal titles but explained what forced him to support Hedda Wolmarans in her fight for the WBO International junior-welterweight belt.

The national champion who goes by the moniker “The Shredder” will welcome Zimbabwean Chiedza “The Queen Tiger” Homakoma for that title. Their 10-rounder will headline Uppercut Promotion’s card at Booysens Boxing Arena in Johannesburg on October 24.

Nathan, whose Hotbox Gym has produced champions from the WBA, IBF and WBC – three of the four top world boxing sanctioning bodies – said: “In truth Hedda will not be fighting for a minimal title; the international title is secondary to the actual world title. But anyway, the intention is to move in the international directions. I am talking about pushing her in the direction of a world title. It is logical for her to have an international fight and also contest an international title, considering that she is rated at No 6 by the IBF and No 9 by the WBA.”

“Obviously we are going to work with various legitimate world boxing bodies. Victory against Chiedza, which I expect anyway, will push her ratings and ultimately pave way for her to eventually fight for the legitimate world title.”

A number of local boxers have previously held WBA, WBF, IBF, WBF and IBO All Africa, International, Continental and Intercontinental, ABU and ABU SADC titles but only a handful benefited from holding those belts by getting chances to fight for legitimate world titles.

Nathan’s charge Hekkie “Hexecutioner” Budler is a lucky fighter whose three defences of the IBO All Africa junior-flyweight title he won after defeating Charity Mukondeleli in 2009 made it easier for promoter Rodney Berman to convince the championship committee of the IBO to give Budler a chance to fight for the actual world title.

Budler won it in 2010 and added the mini-flyweight strap in 2012. His consistency enabled him to fight for and win both the WBA and IBF junior-flyweight titles simultaneously. His achievement earned him the Ring Magazine belt. Other minimal titles are just good in the face of fans and are wonderful to those sanctioning bodies that make money through sanctioning fees.

The WBO – which was represented is SA by Cliff Dikeni after its formation in 1988 in Venezuela – has had only three South Africans holding its world title. Dingaan “The Rose of Soweto” Thobela won its lightweight belt in 1990, Corrie “The Sniper” Sanders captured the heavyweight title in 2003 and Zolani “Last Born” Tete was crowned bantamweight holder in 2017.

This country is yet to produce a WBO female champion. Nozipho Bell was unsuccessful in her attempt to wrest the junior-lightweight belt from Ewa Brodnicka in Poland in 2018.

Wolmarans and Chiedza are evenly matched. While the South African has six wins, four by stoppages, the Zimbabwean has also floored four of her five victims. Wolmarans's stablemate, former IBO mini-flyweight holder Simpiwe “Larhastile” Konkco will be in action in an international non-title fight in one of the undercards

Konkco, who last fought in 2019, losing to then WBC champion Chayaphon Moonsri, will welcome Filipino Jonathan Almacen, who gave Budler hell to lose by points in their WBC Silver junior-flyweight title on May 22.