Boxing is a funny sport that has no boundaries in terms of match-ups. It can easily pit blood brothers and sisters against each other.
This will be the case on Saturday when cousins Bryan Thysse and Gerhard Thysse battle it out for the SA light heavyweight belt in the Golden Gloves tournament at Emperors Palace.
Trained by Damien Durandt and Andson Kazembe, 28-year-old Bryan is the defending champion, while Gerhard, 32, whose skills are honed by Danie du Preez and Gert Strydom, is the No 1 contender for that belt.
Bryan’s father – late former SA and Commonwealth promoter Andre Thysse – and Gerhard’s father, Gerhard Sr, are blood brothers from the same parents.
There is uncertainty if their sons will really engage in a serious fight.
“I want to defend my title — and to do that successfully, I must fight,” said Bryan yesterday during the pre-fight medical of their history-making bout.
It’s exciting, interesting but strange. Cousins fighting against each other; my guy signed the contract to defend his belt, so my job was to prepare him for the fight
— Damien Durandt, trainer
“It’s not about Gerhard, but instead he happens to be someone on my way to the top.”
Gerhard said: “This is our business; we will sit down and talk about it after Saturday. I want the belt; he wants to remain the champion, so we will have a go at each other.”
Their purse money combined is estimated to be around R500,000.
Trainer Durandt, who hones the skills of Bryan, said he was happy to be part of this history-making bout.
“It’s exciting, interesting but strange. Cousins fighting against each other; my guy signed the contract to defend his belt, so my job was to prepare him for the fight,” he said.
Gerhard’s trainer, Danie du Preez, said: “The work he put in two months showed how much he wants it. I and Gert Strydom are behind him. He’s so ready.”
Topping the bill will be Bryan’s older brother, Brandon “Fast Guns” Thysse, taking on Roarke “Razor” Knapp in the final of the junior-middleweight two-legged series called “Sole Survivor”.
The winner will pocket 60% of the R1.2m purse money, with the loser settling for 40%.
It will be a third meeting between Thysse and Knapp.
Sowetan
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