DEON POTGIETER, Johannesburg | Wednesday 5.00pm.
WORLD Boxing Organisation junior middleweight champion Harry Simon will have to defend his title against the WBO’s top-rated contender before embarking on his campaign to meet International Boxing Federation kingpin Fernando Vargas.
It was announced on Tuesday that Simon will face Rodney Jones on 19 February in Dagenham, England. A successful defence will secure Simon’s eliminator match with Bronco McKart which has been scheduled for late April.
The winner of the bout earns the right to face Vargas.
Vargas was lucky to win his last defence in December against Ronald Winky” Wright, the man Simon dethroned for the WBO title in 1998.
Jones, like Simon, is a southpaw and sports a record of 24 wins, 2 losses with 14 knockouts, as opposed to Simon’s 17 wins with 14 knockouts.
Meanwhile, in other boxing news, former World Boxing Union welterweight world champion Gary Murray will be facing the WBO number-three contender Shannon Taylor on February 11 at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre in Australia.
A victory over Taylor will see Murray back in the big time, a defeat, on the other hand, could spell the end of his fistic career.