Trainer Benny Pailman confirmed on Wednesday that his charge Baldwin Tshiakale had lodged a formal challenge with Boxing South Africa to fight Earl Morais. If approved the two will be meeting for the second time after having met at the Wembley Arena, south of Johannesburg, in August last year.

Gabula ”Tiger” Vabaza has been banned for six months from participating in a professional ring. The left-handed former undefeated South African flyweight and WBU junior bantamweight holder from East London failed a drug test after defeating Vuyani Phulo in five rounds on January 9.

The odds are heavily stacked against the South African national under-23 soccer team, AmaGlug-Glug, who will face Zambia in the Athens Olympics second-leg qualifier in Zambia on February 21. They failed to take advantage of the cash-strapped Zambians and instead were beaten 1-0 in front of their vociferous fans last month.

Vuyani ”Beast” Bungu narrowly out-pointed Takalani ”Panther” Ndlovu over 12 energy-sapping rounds to win the vacant IBO featherweight title at Carnival City in Brakpan on Saturday night. Bungu’s deserved win enabled him to scribble his name in the history books by becoming a two-times world champion.

Boxing fans have been warned to keep vigilant during the much-awaited rematch between Isaac Hlatshwayo and Sam Malinga at Carnival City in Brakpan on Saturday night — for they may miss the action. Hlatshwayo’s mentor Manny Fernandez anticipates a thrill-a-minute affair.

It seems the waiting is finally over for Mzonke ”The Rose of Khayelitsha” Fana to fight for the WBC junior lightweight title. But Fana, the WBC international champion, will first have to brush Rand Suico aside in April. Fana occupies the number-one spot while the undefeated Filipino is rated second.

Current IBO junior lightweight champion Cassius Baloyi feels that his world of boxing is steadily crumbling around him. The former WBU junior feather and featherweight holder has not fought for more than a year while being contracted to big promotion companies.

South African boxing has emerged from 2003 drenched in the candy-coated rhetoric of behind-the-scenes controversies and soaked in the heady aroma of bittersweet victories. Add to that the plethora of outstanding successes and one can surmise that boxing in this country is alive and well.

Wits University leapfrogged from the fifth to the fourth spot of the Castle Premiership table after thumping Manning Rangers 4-0 at the Bidvest Stadium on Sunday. The Students, who are yet to taste defeat after five wins and five draws, have 20 points.

A hurricane of flying leather in the form of a boxer, Silence Mabuza rocked the Carousel Sports Arena on Tuesday night when Mabuza easily ended Khulile Makeba’s dreams of becoming a world champion. Mabuza, undoubtedly destined for greater heights, chalked down the first defence of his IBO bantamweight belt.