Boxing In South Africa: IBF Orders Talks Between Top Rank and BSP

By Bongani Magasela, courtesy of The Sowetan

South Africa’s and the United States’ two top boxing promoters, Branco Milenkovic and Bob Arum, have been ordered by the IBF to begin negotiations for Nonito Donaire and Moruti Mthalane’s envisaged flyweight championship fight.

Arum, a Hall of Fame inductee who promotes under Top Rank, controls Donaire, the Filipino who holds the IBF belt, while internationally acclaimed Milenkovic of Branco Sports Production guides the career of the number one ranked Ntuzuma fighter, Mthalane.

IBF championship committee chairman Lindsey Tucker has already ordered Donaire, 25, to make a mandatory defence against Mthalane.

Tucker said if Arum and Milenkovic failed to reach an agreement then the IBF will call for a purse bid.

Yesterday Milenkovic said he would try and convince Arum to agree that Milenkovic puts the fight together. “We have been given until August 7. I don’t think it will be a problem considering that I worked with him two years ago for the HBO fight between his charge, Jorge Arce and Masibulele “Hawk” Makepula. However, if we do not reach an agreement, I will go to the purse bid as I have done so in the past,” he said.

Mthalane earned the mandatory status after his deserved lopsided points win last weekend against Australian foe Hussein Hussein. Their eliminator took place at East London’s Jan Smuts Stadium.

Mthalane, the South African and WBC International titleholder, was ushered to battle by Nick Durandt and showed maturity and fought with purpose in only his second international fight.

“Sengikhulile manje sengiyindoda – I have grown from being a boy to being a man,” said the youngest of the three Mthalane boxing brothers.

The others are Innocent Mthalane and Sihle Mthalane .

Donaire stopped Australian Vic Darchinyan in five rounds last July to win the IBF belt. He stopped Mexican Luis Maldonado in eight rounds last December in his first defence.