Golden Gloves

Rupert “The Natural” Van Aswegen (14-6-2) will be aiming to lift the vacant SA light heavyweight title on March 30 at Emperors Palace when he fights the unbeaten Balemo Weliya (6-0) over 12 rounds on a Box & Dine event that is being hosted in order to assist famed sportswriter Rodney Hartman pay some of his ongoing medical bills. Hartman, who is the doyen of South African sports essayists, has been fighting cancer for quite some time and is clearly in need of financial help.

As such the tournament organizers; African Ring in conjunction with Golden Gloves Promotions, have decided to do what they can to aid Hartman’s cause and GGP Promoter Rodney Berman will also be donating a number of sought-after boxing items for a ring auction on the night.

That the Van Aswegen/Weliya championship bout has the makings of a thrilling confrontation, appears relatively certain and the undercard too has a strong flavour of burgeoning class.

So what of the main bout? No doubt Van Aswegen, who is nephew to former WBA world heavyweight champion Gerrie Coetzee, is a seasoned professional, but there has always been a strong supposition that he’s never quite lived up to his earlier promise as a potential champion. “I think that this fight will bring out the best in him” said trainer Harold Volbrecht, whose been handling the Natural’s career for quite some time. “Mind you winning won’t be a perfunctory task for Rupert, since the Congo-born Weliya is still undefeated as a professional and don’t forget that he won his last two bouts on stoppages”.

Heavyweights Basil Ray and Nsitu Mbaya occupy the slot as chief supporting contest over 6 rounds, whereas the likes of Rudi Bruwer, Bongani Dlamini, Joey Stiglingh and Ashley Dlamini face willing opponents in Jerry Tlhoaela, Nicholas Modiberg, Amon Nhlapo and Johannes Nthonto in four-round bouts in the light heavyweight, lightweight, junior lightweight and junior featherweight ranks respectively.