Wellem eyes vacant WBF title as he faces Kidunda

Happy Tewo says current SA super middleweight champion Asemahle Wellem should know best that in the pursuit towards thriving for success, he must always remember that giving up is not an option.

Affectionately known as “The Predator”, the boxer, who turned 23 last week, is at a point of no return in his growing career.

Tewo promotes Wellem under Tewo Boxing Promotion. Already rated No1 in Africa and 29th in the world, Wellem is at the doorstep to challenging for the WBF belt, which is vacant.

But that hinges on his fight against WBF International champion Selemani “Mamba” Kidunda at The Warehouse in Masaki, Dar-es-salaam, on Friday.

Wellem’s WBF Intercontinental belt will be on line against the 40-year-old Tanzanian who will enjoy home-ground advantage.

Kidunda is rated No7 in Africa, and victory against such a top-rated opponent will definitely improve his ranking.

Wellem, from Chinsa in Eastern Cape, has seven wins and three knockouts while Kidunda has seven knockouts in nine wins.

Tewo said there was no way that his charge would lose to Kidunda on Friday. Wellem is under the tutelage of former SA bantamweight champion Phumzile Matyhila.

Young boxing manager Siay Zingelwa is responsible for Wellem’s career.

Tewo, Wellem, Matyhila and  Zingelwa flew out yesterday.

“Asemahle is ready to kill,” warned Tewo. “There is no other way because he is climbing the ladder as a fighter. He cannot afford to lose because defeat will impact negative in all his ratings. The most important thing about him winning on Friday is that it puts him straight in line to fight for the vacant WBF title.”

Wellem won the intercontinental title via a unanimous points decision against Kidunda’s homeboy Twaha Kassim on July 29 last year in Tanzania.

Kidunda’s last fight was in June last year when he defeated Congolese Eric Kapia Mukadi, who is based in SA.