Press Release: PROMOTERS Branco Milenkovic and Baby Jake Matlala of Branco Sports Productions (BSP) have barely set foot back on home soil after their recent El Paso trip and they have lined up another high-powered tournament.
The dynamic BSP duo have put together a " Double Championship" bill, scheduled for next Friday night (April 29) at the popular Graceland Hotel, Casino and Country Club in Mpumalanga.
Topping the double-header bill is long-time South African welterweight champion Joseph "Smokin' Joe " Makaringe (28 fights -- 26 wins -- 2 losses -- 21 ko's) against mandatory challenger Welcome Ntshingila (14 fights -- 10 wins -- 3 losses -- 1 draw).
It will be Makaringe's professional debut under the new BSP promotional banner and his last national title defence prior to challenging for the WBC International welterweight title later this year.
' We are well aware that Makaringe should have been launched on an international career path long ago, but both the champion and his mentor Nic du Randt decided to take on any mandatory challenger, " explained Milenkovic.
Milenkovic revealed that Makaringe's WBC International title shot has been on the drawing board for quite some time already after the title became vacant when long-time champion Carlos Baldomir earned a WBC world title eliminator.
The co-main event will be a battle for the vacant WBC International flyweight title between former SA and IBO champion Mhikiza Myekeni and the Fillipino champion Sonnyboy Jaro.
In light of the recent sequence of exceptional match-up's for Hawk Makepula and Gabula Vabaza against tough Fillipino opponents to satisfy the criteria for SABC Sport, it was decided to match Myekeni with another top Asian contender.
The very similar ring records of Myekeni (20 fights - 18 wins -- 2 losses) and Jaro (22 fights -- 17 wins -- 2 losses -- 3 draws ) promises to deliver fireworks in the ring.
The undercard is worthy of top-billing in it's own right. Newest sensation in the BSP stable, former Olympian Kgotso Motau (4-0 -- 4 first-round stoppages) will enter the ring for the first time in a slated 6-rounder against the experienced Terry Ngubane of KwaZulu-Natal. " Although I am excited about all four of his first round conquests, we would like to see Motau going more rounds and we decided to match him with the more experienced Ngubane, who has had 16 fights," said Milenkovic.
Another two fights worth mentioning on the undercard is the eight-round junior bantamweight battle between two former SA champions, Theo Modise and Johannes Mayisa.
Mayisa hopes to re-enter the national ratings in the event of beating Modise, while Modise should become a mandatory challenger for Simon Ramoni's national title if he brushes Mayisa aside.
In a four-round featherweight contest, another new addition to the BSP fold, the East London-based former SA amateur champion Wanga Lobeese (1-0) will face professional debutant Mandla Dube from Johannesburg.
BSP, who already oversee the careers of Eastern Cape boxers Gabula Vabaza,Hawk Makepula, Nkqubela Gwazela, Mhikiza Myekeni and Khulile Makeba, are rapidly strengthening their influence in the popular boxing mecca.
Boxing starts at 7.30pm. Live TV covergage on SABC Sport's "Blow by Blow" at 10pm on SABC 2
Issued For and on Behalf of Branco Sports Productions by: Trevor Cramer Communications (082) 770-0677
