Deon Potgieter Boxing
The cards will be stacked against Lehlo “Hands of Stone” Ledwaba at the Carousel, Pretoria, on Saturday night. He’ll be stepping into the ring against former World Boxing Association bantamweight world champion John Michael Johnson hoping to become the third South African this decade to hold the International Boxing Federation’s junior featherweight world title. Welcome Ncita and Vuyani Bungu were the other two.
Vuyani “The Beast” Bungu, who vacated the title earlier this year after defending it a record 13 times, will be at the ringside supporting his countryman. Bungu is one of the few who give Ledwaba a chance against the big-hitting American.
“Bam Bam”, as Johnson is known, has scored an impressive 20 knockouts in his 26 wins, including a knock-out victory over Junior Jones, and is confident of claiming the title.
“If you want something, you go out and get it,” Johnson said at the weigh-in on Tuesday. “And we want the title.”
“We aim to fill the shoes of a great warrior in Bungu,” says Tony Ayala, Johnson’s trainer/manager.
But, says Bungu’s trainer/manager, Mzi Mnguni: “I don’t like it. Johnson just made the weight. Come fight night he’ll be much heavier. He’ll be too strong for Ledwaba.”
Johnson barely made the junior featherweight limit, coming in at just more than 57kg as opposed to Ledwaba’s 55kg. “These guys don’t stay that weight,” says Mnguni. “After the weigh-in they shoot up to their normal weight.”
Boxing analyst Ron Jackson concurs with Mnguni: “Johnson’s too big for Ledwaba. I think he’ll knock him out.”
Another card packed against Ledwaba, who exudes a champion’s personality, is that Johnson is part of the Don “you want to play, you gotta pay” King stable. King, notorious for being involved in the “shady” side of boxing, has now developed an affable relationship with Golden Gloves, which is promoting the triple world title event on Saturday.
“We’re really interested in staging a number of glittering extravaganzas with the larger-than-life American,” said Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves.
Even though the odds are against him, Ledwaba, himself a former World Boxing Union bantamweight world champion, believes that he has what it takes to beat Johnson. “I’m taking this fight very seriously and am in the best shape of my career,” says Ledwaba. “I know this guy’s going to come after me, but that’s fine. I like to mix it up.”
“Sure Ledwaba has the skill to win the fight,” says Berman, “but I’m really worried about how our man will react when the American ploughs in head down and slams home those ferocious body shots.”
Ledwaba is also a strong body puncher and has ended 19 of his 28 wins inside the distance. “I’m not looking to emulate Bungu. My aim now is to win the title.” says Ledwaba. “After that I’ll make my own history.”
On the under-card of what is sure to be a titanic battle are another two world title bouts featuring South Africans. Lindi Memani makes the first defence of his World Boxing Union mini-flyweight world title against Dennis Sabsal from the Philippines.
A vastly underrated fighter, Memani is looking to score an impressive win. Although records and looks can be deceiving when it comes to Filipino fighters, Sabsal shouldn’t cause too many problems for Memani. Sabsal goes into the ring with 10 wins, six losses and three draws, as opposed to Memani’s 24 wins, eight losses and three draws.
The other world title clash promises to be a classic boxer-versus-fighter affair. Zolani Petelo makes the third defence of his International Boxing Federation mini- flyweight title against Eric Jamili, another Filipino.
Jamili, a former World Boxing Organisation straw-weight world champion, is an aggressive puncher who will be looking to come in close to take the champion out. Petelo, a master boxer who exudes natural talent, is confident of victory, however. “I’m going after Vuyani’s [Bungu] record. This is number three so I’ll have at least another 10 after this.”
“Petelo must win,” says Mnguni, who is also Petelo’s trainer/manager. “He will take Bungu’s place as the leading world champion in my stable”
Also on the Ledwaba/Johnson under-card is a fight which promises to deliver plenty of fireworks. Middleweight world title contender Giovanni Pretorious takes on a third Filipino on the bill. His opponent, Enrie Alesna, is known, as is Pretorious, to be a blood-and-guts fighter. This fight is sure to be a gruelling affair, with the two boxers going toe-to-toe till the finish.
Harold Volbrecht, Pretorious’s trainer/manager, warned the other fighters on the triple world title bill: “My guy’s going to steal the show. You wait and see. He’s done it before and he’ll do it on Saturday night.”
The “Gloves and Glory” bill, which has also been called the “Tribute to Bungu” bill, is one of the biggest boxing events to be staged in South Africa. This is only the second time in history that three South Africans will be involved in separate world title fights on the same night.
ENDS
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