/ 23 January 1999

BOTES READY FOR THE UNKNOWN

SOON BOTES admits that unknown fighters are dangerous, but he’s predicting he will be too smart against Mweli Msomi in their fight for the vacant South African light heavyweight title at Nasrec on Sunday. “It’s true I do not know him….I will then [after the first round] have the idea as to what he is made of. But…I will stop him,” promised Botes, who has won 17 of his 20 fights, nine by stoppage. The 25-year-old Vanderbijlpark-based fighter is the country’s super middleweight champion. If successful, Botes is unsure whether he will concentrate on the heavier division. Msomi’s trainer Elias Tshabalala said on Tuesday that the spirit of his late brother Ginger, who last held the title, will bolster the performance of KwaZulu-Natal-born Msomi.