Golden Gloves

Australia-based South African Lovemore Ndou will give Matthew Hatton another crack at his IBO world welterweight title in March or April. This was confirmed by Golden Gloves Promoter Rodney Berman today.

“Their initial bout on Stoke-on-Trent in 2009 ended in a hard-fought draw and I’m sure that the rematch will define whose really the better man”said Berman. At age 37 the tough-as-nails Ndou is already a two-time world champion and he views his former opponent as a “good but limited opponent” en route to his tempting Matthew’s older brother Ricky into the ring, sometime this year. “I know that I beat him in that fight in England, and I’m grateful that our rematch will take place in the USA” said the veteran warrior, who begun his fistic career in South Africa. “I only hope that once I’ve kicked his butt in America, his older sibling Ricky will seek revenge and if that happens, I will gladly sign on the dotted line” concluded Ndou.

No doubt a return fight between the veteran South African and Hatton Jnr will evoke considerable interest on the international circuit, partcularly in view of the stirring effort that the Manchester-born fighter fashioned late last year. “Make no bones about it: Matthew put up one helluva fight last time out, despite being handicapped in terms of experience, and quite honestly after 12 rounds I couldn’t separate the two fighters on my scorecard” said GGP CEO Rodney Berman.

Berman indicated the second Ndou-Hatton championship encounter would be jointly promoted between GGP and Banner Promotions in America.

One of the most durable fighters on the international circuit, the wiley Ndou has never been stopped in his professional career and most boxing literai will fancy his chances of staying upright in this forthcoming fight. Former sportswriter Laurie Houston is one of them. “There’s no one in the welterweight division capable of levelling Ndou, and methinks he’ll ground down Hatton inside eight or nine rounds” said Houston.