On Saturday night, boxing fans’ eyes will be on Phumelela “The Truth” Cafu, who is looking to bounce back after losing the WBO junior bantamweight belt to Jesse Rodriguez in Texas, US, last July.
Cafu will duel with Filipino Jemuel “Mighty” Aranas over 10 rounds.
This fight will be the main attraction of the tournament to take place at Beula Park Academy in Germiston, where promoter Larry Wainstein will stage a development tournament the following day.
Aranas, 21, is described as being one of the top up-and-coming fighters from the Chao Sy Boxing Stable in the Philippines.
It will be his first fight overseas since turning professional four years ago.
The Carcar City native carries a 9-3-1 record with five knockouts and heads into the bout riding a two-fight winning streak.
Cafu, whose career is guided by trainer-cum-manager Colin “Nomakanjani” Nathan, suffered the first loss of his career to Rodriguez.
Most of the undercard fights on Saturday evening are four- and six-rounders.
Wainstein hopes to help produce a new crop of fighters that will in time continue where the likes of Hekkie “Hexecutioner” Budler left off.
Budler is one of SA’s most successful professional boxers, having secured multiple world championships across two different weight divisions.
Notable for his legendary technical skills and heart, he etched his name into boxing history as a unified minimumweight and light-flyweight champion.
Wainstein said gates will open at 6pm on Saturday, with action beginning at 7pm.
Then on Sunday afternoon, former ABU middleweight champ and 2023 BSA prospect of the year award winner DonJuan “The Dragon” van Heerden will make his debut in the light heavyweight class against Jackson “Shasha” Masamba from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“This bout gives substance to the tournament,” said Wainstein.
Gates open at 1pm on Sunday and fights start at 2pm.
Sowetan
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