Boxing

Mdantsane’s Siyakholwa Kuse jetted out to the Philippines on Tuesday with the double mission of realising his world title dream and breaking the curse of Eastern Cape boxers never having won a WBC title. Kuse will challenge Filipino Melvin Jerusalem for the WBC mini-flyweight belt — considered the most coveted in boxing — on Wednesday next week.

Landile Ngxeke’s defection has unleashed a flurry of bantamweight contenders to ready themselves to contest the SA bantamweight title. Ngxeke, who has already been mandated to contest the vacant IBF bantamweight belt against Mexican Jose Salas Reyes on a date yet to be determined, is expected to vacate the SA title he won with an injury-enforced fourth-round stoppage of Lusizo Manzana in 2023.

Johannesburg boxing manager Colin Nathan said wheels were in motion for Landile Ngxeke to fight for the IBF bantamweight title after Boxing SA dismissed an objection to the contract he signed two weeks ago. Sada-born Ngxeke dumped long-time handlers Xaba Promotions to join Nathan’s No Doubt Management in pursuit of a world title, sparking a furore in SA boxing circles.

Veteran Gauteng boxing trainer Manny Fernandez is banking on repeating the upset he engineered more than two decades ago when he guides Mdantsane’s Siyakholwa Kuse on a mission-impossible world title clash in the Philippines in two weeks. Kuse will challenge Filipino hero Melvin Jerusalem for the WBC mini-flyweight title in Manila on October 29.

Mdantsane’s Nhlanhla Tyirha has been caught in a tug-of-war between promoters after being billed in tournaments in both November and December. The former SA junior-flyweight champion was announced as among the boxers to feature in the Golden Gloves Promotions show at Emperors Palace on November 29.