By Ron Jackson
South Africa’s Gideon Buthelezi heads a bumper seven-fight title bill when he makes the sixth defense of his International Boxing Organization junior bantamweight belt against Alexandru Marin of Romania, at the International Convention Centre in East London on Monday afternoon.
The tournament will be broadcast live on SuperSport 11 from 2pm on Monday afternoon.
The 33-year-old Buthelezi (22-5, 5 KOs) has had an outstanding career since making his pro debut on July 21, 2006, losing on points over four rounds against Nestor Bolum.
He won his next seven fights before losing on a sixth round technical knockout against Tshepo Lefele in a challenge for the South African minimumweight title.
Despite these setbacks, he would go on to win the vacant IBO Africa minimumweight title with a rare stoppage win over Nelson Mtshali (tko 4); and in June 2010 he claimed vacant IBO minimumweight belt with a points win over Ronelle Ferreras.
In the first defense of his IBO belt in January 2011, he shocked the local boxing world with a split decision win over multiple world champion Hekkie Budler and then traveled to Mexico to challenge Adrian Hernandez for the WBC light flyweight, belt but was stopped in the second round after being down three times. His IBO belt was declared vacant.
He regained the IBO junior bantamweight belt with a disputed 12 round points decision over Edrin Dapudong in a clash for the vacant belt, only to be knocked out at 2 minutes 29 seconds of the first round in a return match with Dapudong.
However, this gutsy little fighter never gave up and reclaimed the IBO belt in December 2015 when he outpointed fellow South African Makazole Tete in a bout for the vacant title.
The 27-year-old challenger Marin (18-0, 11 KOs), who fights out of Bethesda, Maryland, USA is the current IBO International junior bantamweight champion
Marin who has been fighting as a pro for six years has just come off a win against the vastly experienced former WBA junior bantamweight champion Luis Concepcion (37-7)
The challenger has more power than the southpaw champion with a knockout ratio of 61.11%, against the low percentage of the champion (18.52%).
Marin has won five of his last nine fights inside the distance and could extend Buthelezi.
NKOSINATHI JOYI AND JOEY CANOY MEET FOR VACANT IBO BELT
Veteran 36-year-old Nkosinathi Joyi (28-5-1, 19 KOs) from Mdantsane near East London who has won the Eastern Cape mini flyweight, South African mini flyweight, IBO minimumweight, IBF mini flyweight, WBA International mini flyweight, WBC International junior flyweight and WBO Africa junior flyweight titles, in an outstanding 17-year professional career faces fellow southpaw Joey Canoy (15-3-1, 8 KOs) for the vacant IBO mini flyweight belt.
The 26-year-old Canoy will be making his third trip to South Africa, losing on a seventh round stoppage to Hekkie Budler and fighting to a fourth round no contest against Simpiwe Konco.
OTHER BOUTS
Sabelo Ngebiyane (Queenstown) defends SA junior bantamweight title against Gcina Makhoba (Kzn).
Emmany Kalambo (DRC) v Daniel Larty (Ghana) – vacant WBO Africa junior middleweight title.
Athenkosi Dumezweni (SA) v Fernando Daniel Martinez (Argentina) – WBC Silver junior bantamweight title.
Muhsin Kizota (Tanzania) v Siphamandla Baleni (SA) – vacant WBO Global junior flyweight title.
Sibusiso Bandla (Mdantsane) defends SA minimumweight title against Siyakholwa Kuse (Mdantsane)
The tournament is presented by Xaba Promotions.
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