/ 18 May 2000

TICKER TAPE PARADE AWAITS BABY JAKE

ROYAL treatment will be the order of the day if Baby Jake Matlala is successful in his bid to become the first South African boxer to win four world titles next Wednesday night. “It’s already arranged,” said Rodney Berman, promoter of the triple world title bill to be held at Carnival city on May 24. “If Jake wins his fourth world title, we’ll have a ticker tape parade in his honour through Johannesburg and Soweto on the following Saturday morning.” Matlala challenges Peter Culshaw for the WBU flyweight world title in what promises to be a riveting battle. “Culshaw means business,” said Berman. “He’s bringing out 100 supporters from the UK to back him up. It’s going to be a very hard fight.” Berman added that he had to pay Culshaw an enormous purse to get him to fight Matlala, but feels that the popular South African deserves the shot at winning a fourth world title. “It would be a wonderful event if Jake can pull it off,” Berman enthused. “An historic achievement worthy of a hero’s parade.” Also on the bill, Hawk Makepula makes the third defence of his WBU junior flyweight world title against Marcos Obregon while Cassius Baloyi defends his WBU featherweight world title against Hector Lizarraga.