The doyen of South African sportswriters Rodney Hartman is fighting cancer! Yet indicative of the uncomplicated courage of this great gentleman, he was as chirpy as ever when Golden Gloves Promoter Rodney Berman, African Ring Promoter Jeff Ellis, former two-time Hall of Famer Brian Mitchell and I paid him a visit in hospital recently. “I won’t quit” said Hartman, who over the years, established up a reputation for honesty and integrity en route to be regarded as one of the finest sports essayists ever to have been produced in this country.

Given Hartman’s current situation and the debilitating medical costs he has incurred, GGP and African Ring Promotions will be donating the proceeds from the Emperors Palace Box & Dine event on March 30 to his family in order to alleviate some of the expenses of his hospitalization. “Rodney set the benchmark for South African sportswriters in recent years” said GGP Promoter Rodney Berman, “and it’s a great privilege to be able to assist him in whatever way we can”.

A press conference/breakfast will take place at the Promise Grill restaurant tomorrow (Thursday) morning in order to announce the tournament, which is the second of two African Ring events in successive days. Heading the bill on March 30, is a bout for the vacant SA light heavyweight title between Rupert “The Natural” Van Aswegen and  Balemo Weliya over 12 rounds. Nephew to former WBA heavyweight champion Gerrie Coetzee, the slick boxing Van Aswegen is arguably nearing his peak as a fighter and should, in the opinion of many, have too much all-around ring skill for Weliya to handle.

The undercard is strongly supported by the likes of heavyweight Basil Ray, who fights Nsitu Mbaya over a slated 6 rounds, while preliminary action incorporates some potentially riveting bouts between light heavyweights Rudi Bruwer VS Jerry Tlhoaela (4 rounds) and lightweights Bongani Dlamini VS Nicholas Modiberg.

Also on the bill is unbeaten junior lightweight Joey Stiglingh VS Amon Nhlapo (4 rounds) and a 4-round encounter between junior featherweights Ashley Dlamini and Johannes Nthontho.

The bill for March 29 reads as follows:

Jason Bedeman Vs Luyanda Jako (6-rounds lightweight),
Grant Fourie Vs Joseph Modise (6-rounds junior lightweight),
Flo Simba Vs Mongezi Nzamela (6- rounds heavyweight),
Sylvester Zaki Vs Mitus Diseko (4-rounds middleweight),
Ray Bloom Vs Wensley Buys (4-rounds catchweight @ 60 kg),
Morne Bothma Vs Cebo Ngema (4-rounds bantamweight) and
Christiaan Visser Vs Prince Ndlovu (4-rounds featherweight).