Klassen to face Fana in all South African world title fight

05/04/2007

Klassen to face Fana in all South African world title fight

Press Release: On April 20, 2007 in Khayelitsha, South Africa, Branco Sports will promote an IBF junior lightweight title fight between two South Africans, Malcolm Klaasen and Mzonke Fana. South Africans usually travel abroad for world title opportunities, so two countrymen contesting a world title at home makes this a huge event. The fight will be staged closer to Fana's hometown. Fana's promoter Branco Milenkovic, picked an unexpected venue for the fight, explaining, "We are not going back there to make money, but to produce an unforgettable evening of boxing which features an IBF world title fight for the first time in the Western Cape. We are very well aware of the tough economic climate in Khayelitsha and the last thing we want to do is burn large holes in boxing fans' pockets to see their icon Mzonke Fana fight for a world title a stone throw away from his own home." Although both boxers sport similar records, Fana's career  (25-3) shows more exposure to big fights than does the champion Klaasen's (19-3-2). In other South African news, domestic welterweight champion Lucky Lewele scored a big international win, an eighth-round TKO against highly regarded Alpaslan Aguzum, in Germany last weekend.