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The biggest fight thus far this year in South Africa takes place tonight at North-West University Sports Complex in Mafikeng when IBF Super Feather Champ Cassius Baloyi faces the challenge of Malcolm Klassen.
Baloyi, 36-3-1 (19), and Klassen, 23-4-2 (14), are the top two super feathers in the country and fans across South Africa have been waiting for the clash of these two for a very long time.
34 year old Baloyi has participated in many title fights during his reigns as IBO and IBF super feather, WBU feather and super bantam champion.
The Johannesburg resident holds victories over Manuel Medina, Mzonke Fana, Lehlohonolo Ledwaba (twice), Mbulelo Botile, Gairy St. Clair and Frankie Toldeo while he’s come up short only against St. Clair, Isaac Hlatshwayo and Phillip N’dou.
Baloyi captured the IBF crown for the second time in his career when he posted a majority decision against reigning champion Fana a year ago and made a successful defense by stopping Argentina’s Javier Osvaldo Alvarez in the third round last September.
The younger Klassen, of Toekomsrus, is a former South African featherweight champion who previously held the IBF Super Feather crown after posting a split decision over St. Clair in 2006, only to lose the belt by split decision to Fana two years ago.
Klassen earned this shot at the IBF belt by stopping multiple former world champion Medina in the second round during a title eliminator last August.
At 5’10, Baloyi will hold a massive height advantage over the stocky 5’4 tall Klassen and will need to keep the former title holder on the outside at the end of the jab where he can be picked off on the way in.
But Klassen is used to chasing down taller men and if he can make it a fight, his crisp combinations and body work could threaten the champion’s title reign.
As neither fighter hits very hard at championship level and both possess rock hard chins, this contest will likely break down into a stamina test, where Klassen’s youth and busier style will be pitted against Baloyi’s greater experience in big fights.
It’s a real 50-50 bout that should be a real barburner and it is impossible to predict just who will emerge the winner and IBF champion.
There are two important bouts on the undercard.
Reigning ABU Super Flyweight Champ Lesley Sekotswe, 8-0 (6), from neighboring Botswana, meets the challenge of East London based southpaw veteran Nkosana Sobethu, 17-10-3 (9).
Sparks should fly in this one as big punching Sekotswe will be tested by the towering, granite-jawed Sobethu, who stands a full 5’7 at just 115 pounds.
Johannesburg’s South African Flyweight champ Moruti Mthalane, 22-2 (15), returns to the ring in a title defense against challenger Lehlohonolo Ramagole, 6-1 (4), just five months after a failed bid to unseat IBF/IBO Champion Nonito Donaire in America’s boxing capital of Las Vegas.
