By Ron Jackson

The big question going into the eagerly-awaited clash with three titles at stake between the vastly more experienced Ryno “The Lion” Liebenberg and the relative twelve fight novice Rowan “Braveheart” Campbell, to be held on Sunday afternoon at Emperors Palace near Kempton Park is, will the youth of Campbell prevail against the experience of Liebenberg.

The tournament will be televised live on Supersport from 3pm.

The 27-year-old Campbell, who has a record of 12-0, 8 KOs, has surprised the local boxing world, having had no amateur experience but under guidance of the Smith brothers from their gym in Cedar Square, Fourways he has developed into a useful fighter and won the South African and IBO All-Africa super middleweight titles, since making his pro debut on 1 December 2016.

Campbell is coming off an outstanding win in his most recent fight on 30 November last year when he stopped the previously unbeaten South African light heavyweight champion Nicholas Radley in the fourth round of a non-title fight.

This match-up has taken a long time in making after Liebenberg challenged Campbell in the ring after Radley fight.

Liebenberg, 37, has been in several wars in his nearly 11-year professional career and has won the IBO All-Africa, IBO Inter-Continental, WBC Silver, WBC International, South African light heavyweight titles, and the African Boxing Union super middleweight title.

The veteran Liebenberg (20-7-1, 13 KOs) has fought at a much higher level than Campbell and only two of his losses have come inside the distance.

In October 2014 he was stopped in the seventh round against former WBO light heavyweight champion Eleider Alvarez due to a bad cut and in February 2018 he lost on sixth round technical knockout against Vincent Feigenbutz.

Trained and managed by Colin Nathan from his MTK Africa Boxing Gym in The Savoy Estate in Johannesburg, Liebenberg has fought mostly in the light heavyweight class, but it has been reported that he has no problems making the weight for the lighter division.

Both are come forward fighters and with no fans in attendance due to the Covid-19 restrictions Supersport viewers can expect an exciting clash with Campbell defending his South Africa and IBO All-Africa titles. They will also be fighting for the vacant WBA Pan African title.

The tournament is presented by Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves Promotions.

There is a good undercard with South African junior bantamweight champion Sabelo Ngebinyana 12-4 against Ricardo Malajika 7-0 in a non-title fight over eight rounds.

OTHER FIGHTS ON THE BILL

Middleweight, 4 rounds: Ndumiso Musawenkosi v Nelson Mbhele; Junior welterweight, 4 rounds: Haveni Gerhard v Nthethelelo Nkosi; 6 rounds Junior middleweight: Shervontaigh Koopman v Junior Makondo; Junior bantamweight, 8 rounds: Lodumo Lamati v Said Mohamed Hassan (Tanzania).