WBF president Howard Goldberg expects fireworks when Matshidiso Mokebisi and Katie Healy collide for the vacant WBF junior featherweight title at Steve Tshwete Memorial Banquet Hall in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, on Friday. This is despite concerns over the eligibility of Healy, the 24-year-old former kick-boxing champion who has only four professional boxing contests.

“I think it is going to be a very good fight,” said the former school principal and university lecturer from Cape Town. “I hope Mokebisi is not taking her opponent for granted simply because Healy has four fights.”

Goldberg confirmed that the winner between Thato Bonokoane and Jhaleel Payao will earn the rights to challenge for the vacant WBF junior featherweight title. Bonokoane will defend that organisation’s Intercontinental title against the 29-year-old Filipino who has previously held the WBC Youth title. Goldberg warned: “If I was Thato, I was going to be very careful.”

Payao’s trainer Jingjing Tepora was quoted saying: “Knocking out our opponent is always our game plan every time we go outside the country so that there won’t be a hometown decision.”

Tepora was in his younger brother Jhack’s corner in SA when he demolished Lusanda Komanisi in two rounds in 2017. “A knockout is the best strategy to walk out with a victory in South Africa. Our game plan is to pressure and target his body so that he’ll gas out,” he said.

Bonokoane is coming off a points win in his first defence against Innocent Mantengu in April.

Bonokoane was not his usual talkative self during the interview yesterday. “I will let my hands do the talking so that I don’t eat my words on the day [of the fight].”

Trainer Charity Mukondeleli said: “I want Thato to win so that he features in J4 Joy Promotions tournament in Durban in December.”

Arnel Lubisi and Mthobisi Nkosi will fight for the vacant Mpumalanga bantamweight belt.

Action will commence from 6.30pm.