Golden Gloves

IBO world welterweight champion Lovemore Ndou (47-11-2, with 31 knockouts) opponent for September 18 at Emperors Palace, former South African welterweight titleholder Bonganie “Cyclones” Mwelase (14-0, with 12 knockouts), is either the newest “cock-of-the-walk” in South African boxing or a kid with a far inflated ego! Take your pick! Trouble is, however, Mwelase is making it very difficult for anyone wishing to market the fight by cancelling television interviews (not once but twice) and then refusing to pose for the new cover of African Ring which is South African’s trademark boxing publication and for which the dangerous southpaw was set to appear for the first time as a feature photo. It is also understood that the man who would be the IBO welterweight champion regards winning another title –his fourth- if he’s successful, as nothing more than a perfunctory task. “Mwelase has already won the SA welterweight, WBF welterweight and WBF light middleweight titles and he may not show it but believe me he’ll win the IBO world welterweight title too” said one of Mwelase constant companions.

Man-about-boxing Jeff Ellis was less in the mood to work out Mwelase’s strange reaction to what had been a routine request for a photo, than to throw his hands up and take his leave. “Actually I feel a bit sorry for Johnny du Plooy’s because now he’s getting to know how difficult it is to control a guy like Mwelase who I regard as a bit of a Coconut.”

Not that the enigmatic Du Plooy wasn’t difficult to handle during his reign as a box-office magnet during the 1970’s but Ellis made no mistake in calling Mwelase “The strangest character I’ve ever met in the game”.

Indeed not since Kallie Knoetze trumpeted his stuff during the seventies, has this country had such an unusual or eccentric character than the 28-year-old southpaw from Sowetan. Even Mwelase trainer, Johnny du Plooy was pained to apologise for his fighter’s action and for the umpteenth time used what has now become a standard apology for the 6’0” Mwelase, who is just over 2 inches taller than his vastly seasoned opponent.

“You guys know what he’s like” said Du Plooy, “and I’ve never tried to pretend Mwelase’s the most diligent trainer in the world. Mind you what he needs to know about his adversary (Ndou) he knows and I’ve no fear of predicting a knockout for Cyclone.”

With Harold Volbrecht and Lovemore Ndou dutifully fulfilling their television obligations, I found it interesting to notice that Volbrecht is unusually confident of his 39-year-old charge not only defending his IBO world welterweight title, but winning well. “There isn’t another boxer in this world at 39 who has such a limitless degree of fitness as Ndou” said Volbrecht. “And after Mwelase strong traditional sure in the earlier part of the fight, I wondered how he’ll handle Ndou? Especially once he starts getting tired”