'Cyclone' Mwelase aims to snatch Ndou's IBO crown
(By Bongani Magasela – sowetanlive.co.za)

August 6, 2010

GOLDEN Gloves Promoter Rodney Berman plans to turn his tournament scheduled for September 18 at Emperors Palace into a night to remember.

The main attraction, according to Berman, centres around the country's talkative and eloquent fighter, Bongani "Cyclone" Mwelase.

In what could be the fight of the year, Mwelase will challenge the vastly experienced exiled veteran Lovemore "The Black Panther" Ndou for the IBO welterweight title.

Ndou, 38, who has lived in Australia since 1995, will bid for the second defence of the title he won after outpointing Phillip "Time Bomb" Ndou over 12 rounds on July 11 last year.

Lovemore, the former IBF junior welterweight champion, has 47 wins (31 KOs), 11 losses and two draws while Mwelase, 27, a former SA, WBF and WBC International welterweight titlist who holds the WBF junior middleweight strap, is undefeated after 14 fights with 12 stoppages.

Berman has spiced up his tournament, dubbed "Crunch Time", with the heavyweight sensations Florante "Demolition Man" Simba and Johnny "Hurricane" Muller. Golden Gloves spokesperson Terry Pettifer said they were still looking for the two fighter's opponents, who will definitely be locals.

"We're planning to make our September 18 bill a tremendous success," said Berman in his parting shot.

The WBC's No 6 bantamweight contender. Tshifhiwa "Atomic Spider" Munyai, will oppose the 13th-rated Mexican Christian Esquivel for the WBC Silver bantamweight belt in Mexico tomorrow.

WBC representative in Africa Peter Ngatane, who played a pivotal role in getting Tshifhiwa involved in this fight, said the winner will earn the right to challenge for the actual green and gold WBC belt.

IBO junior flyweight champion Hekkie "Hexecutioner" Budler will fight Evaristo Primero in a non-title fight at Laredo Energy Arena in the US on Sunday.

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