BOXING
Deon Potgieter
For the first time in South Africa, a world title fight will take place behind closed doors.
Ahead of his possible match against Philip Ndou in October, Cassius “The Hitman” Baloyi will defend his World Boxing Union featherweight title against Jorge Paredes of Argentina at the Carousel next Wednesday. The bout will be staged exclusively in front of the media, boxing officials and a few VIP guests. There will be no tickets available for the public, so those who want to see the fight will have to tune in to M-Net.
The reason for this exclusivity is two-fold. The Carousel, which celebrates its 10th birthday this year, was the mecca of South African boxing until Carnival City opened, and the Brakpan venue now hosts most world title bouts featuring South Africans.
“We always wanted to stage another world title fight,” says Hein Klopper, marketing manager of the Carousel. “Over the years we built up a special relationship with the boxing community and media so decided it would be great to host the bout for old times’ sake, basically as a gathering of old friends.”
The general public cannot be included in this reunion because of lack of space. The tent that used to house boxing no longer adorns the front of the venue, and the eight-fight bill will be held in the Cheyenne saloon, where seating is limited.
“We decided to stage the bout at the Carousel as a ‘thank you’ for all they had previously done for us,” says publicist Terry Pettifer. With fight fans having to turn on the telly to see Baloyi in his first ring appearance since being shot in a hijacking earlier this year, the broadcasters won’t be complaining.
“Boxing has now become a television sport,” says Baloyi’s trainer/ manager Brian Mitchell. “It makes little difference that this bout will be in front of an exclusive audience. The only thing that matters is that Cassius wants to get out there and show everybody that he’s back and more determined than ever.”
Baloyi is an undefeated two-time world champion with 11 world title fights to his credit. It’s unlikely the journeyman Paredes will unsettle him, but a man who has nothing to lose is often one with the most to gain.
Former two-time junior-flyweight world champion Hawk Makepula makes a welcome return on the Baloyi-Paredes undercard. Having scored his most impressive and devastating knockouts at the venue he hasn’t scored a stoppage since fighting there he will be looking to regain the form that had made him one of the most exciting combatants in the country.
This will be Makepula’s first outing since losing a controversial points decision to Irene Pacheko for the International Boxing Federation flyweight title last November. The Hawk takes on Filipino Roy Dolguez, a relatively inexperienced fighter with eight wins, one loss and a draw, with four knockouts, as opposed to Makepula’s 18 wins and one loss, with 12 knockouts.