By Ron Jackson

After an outstanding 2019 there are some interesting matchups for Moruti Mthalane against top IBF contender Giemel Magrano from the Philippines or even unification fights against WBA champion Artem Dalakian (Azerbaijan) and WBO champion Kosei Tanaka (Japan).

IBO cruiserweight champion Kevin Lerena who is scheduled to make the sixth defense of his belt against Firat Arslan at Goepppingen, Germany, must be the favorite to win this one and possibly go on to challenge for a WBC title.

Thabiso Mchunu who has just come off an outstanding win over Denis Lebedev could also be in line to challenge for the WBC cruiserweight belt.

The talented IBO junior bantamweight champion Gideon Buthelezi will be hoping to have a better year after his last opponent pulled out at short notice in December and Ayanda Nkosi who won the South African lightweight and WBF lightweight titles in 2019 is hoping to capitalize on his world title success.

One of South Africa’s most talented minimumweight fighters Nkosinathi Joyi had a successful 2019 winning the IBO minimumweight belt and even at the age of 36 still has a few more fights left in him.

Rowan Campbell the South African and IBO Africa super middleweight champion has continued to impress and is coming off a fourth round stoppage win over South African light heavyweight champion Nicholas Radley in a non-title fight.

After the win, he was challenged in the ring to a fight by the veteran and more experienced Ryno Liebenberg which could make for an interesting match-up.

The junior middleweight division is loaded with talent with fighters like South African champion Simon Dladla and challengers Boyd Allen, France Ramabolo, Brandon Thysse and Roarke Knapp.

Thulani Mbenge who suffered his first loss and his IBO welterweight belt against Sebastian Formella in Germany, is a talented fighter and he should be able to regain the belt and reverse the loss to Formella.

With Ayanda Nkosi having to relinquish his South African lightweight title after winning the WBF lightweight belt we could see a competitive clash between the No. 1 contender Siphosethu Mvulu and the No. 2 rated Michael Mokoena for the vacant SA title.

The unbeaten and talented South African bantamweight champion Ronald Malindi is now ready to go in against imported opposition for one of the international titles available.

It has been reported the Zolani Tete is determined to come back this year after the disastrous loss of his WBO bantamweight belt to John Riel Casimero.