There is plenty of action for boxing fans over the coming weekend, with tournaments in Johannesburg and Brakpan on Friday night and in East London on Sunday.
South Africa’s IBO flyweight champion, Moruti Mthalane 34, who has a record of 32-2; 21 makes the third defence of his belt when he faces 23-year-old unbeaten 11-fight novice Filipino, Genesis Libranza, at the Wembley Indoor Arena in Turfontein, Johannesburg.
Mthalane will be having his first fight since 12 December 2015 when he stopped Renz Rosia from the Philippines in the ninth round.
Libranza, who is listed at No 26 by the WBO, has fought nobody of consequence, but has won five of his last six fights inside the distance. He has only been beyond six rounds on one occasion and that was when he outpointed Michael Rodriguez, who had a record of 13-41-1 over ten rounds. The scores were 96-94 and 97-93 twice.
It has also has been reported that Doctor Ntsele and Sabelo Negembinyane will meet for the vacant South African junior-bantamweight title.
Also on Friday at Carnival City near Brakpan, Steve Kalakoda presents a ten-fight bill, with the main bout being an African Boxing Union heavyweight title fight between Ruan Visser (10-1; 9), who is ranked at No 1 in South Africa, against Bernard Adie (15-5; 5) from Kenya.
Former IBO super-middleweight and light-heavyweight champion Tommy Oosthuizen meets Said Mbelwa from Tanzania over 12 rounds for the vacant ABU light-heavyweight title, and Ilunga Makabu from the DRC returns to action for the first time since he was stopped in three rounds by Tony Bellew in a challenge for the WBC cruiserweight belt in May last year, when he goes in against Amour Mzungu of Tanzania.
South African heavyweight champion Osbourne Machimana also returns to action after eight months when he meets Kolola (Knife) Didier of the DRC.
On Sunday at the Orient Theatre in East London Ludumo Lamati challenges Bongani Mahlangu for the South Africa junior-featherweight title, and in a clash for the vacant South African junior-welterweight title, Xolani Mcotheli meets Flint Mdletshe.
