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Following a motor vehicle accident in Boksburg on Thursday, Tommy “Tommy Gun” Oosthuizen (11-0, with 8 knockouts) had his dream of fighting Australia’s unbeaten Michael Bolling (12-0, with 10 knockouts) for the vacant IBO world super middleweight crown at Emperors Palace on June 19 immediately derailed, forcing Golden Gloves Promoter Rodney Berman to shuffle his cards in order to find a suitable substitute.
Fortunately for the tournament organisers the fighter who forcibly steps in as a replacement is none other than Isaac “The Golden Boy” Chilemba (14-1, with 8 knockouts), who was originally scheduled to fight Rupert Van Aswegen for the vacant WBC International light heavyweight title on the same night.
“It’s funny how things work” said Berman. “Firstly I was told that Van Aswegen had decided to retire from boxing earlier this week because of a recurring hand injury, thus eliminating the possibility of a WBC International championship bout taking place and soon thereafter we received the terrible news about Tommy’s accident. It has subsequently been revealed that another car slammed into the back of the Tommy Gun’s vehicle while he was driving and due to the 21-year-old boxer’s head hitting the windscreen, he sustained several facial lacerations that required a total of 25 stitches.
“Tommy’s right eye and face look awfully bad at present but given sufficient time he should fully recover” said trainer Harold Volbrecht.
That the powerful young Chilemba, who’s just turned 23, is an adequate substitute for Oosthuizen is beyond question, especially when on considers that the Golden Boy has already won three international titles, namely the ABU (African Boxing Union) super middleweight, WBO Africa light heavyweight and WBC International light heavyweight titles. Chilemba was stripped of the WBC International crown due to a prolonged illness but has fully recovered and envisages no problems shedding the extra 4-kgs required to box for the IBO world super middleweight title.
“It’s no hassle because he (Chilemba) normally tips the scales at fractionally above the super middleweight limit” said trainer Elias Tshabalala.
Fight addicts have long maintained that the one local derby they’ve been itching to see is a Chilemba versus Oosthuizen match and providing the Malawi-born Chilemba is victorious against Bolling, that contest could well be on the cards for either September or November this year. “I’ve absolutely no doubt that Tommy’s abrasions and cuts will completely heal” said Volbrecht, “but September may be a trifle soon for him to return to action.”
GGP Promoter Berman admitted, however, that a bout between the Tommy Gun and the Golden Boy was always in the offing and if the slick boxing Chilemba can beat Bolling, who’s a southpaw, the CEO of Golden Gloves Promotions means to sign the bout for later this year. “Mind you, everything is dependant on the severity of Oosthuizen’s injuries, which according to Harold (Volbrecht) may look a lot worse than they actually are”.
June 07, 2010 at 9:22 am, FanoftheGUN said:
Ok, so it’s cast in stone now that Tommy won’t be fighting. We’ll wait in great anticipation for his next fight then. LIFE HAPPENS. and “all works together for good …” Still looking forward to June 19th !!!!
June 07, 2010 at 9:48 am, Britt said:
I still say Oosthuizen V.S Isaac, miss -match, but if it’s for the IBO title I could say a giveaway.
June 07, 2010 at 9:18 pm, Classy said:
He has been sick for a long time and now he has to drop 4kgs in a couple weeks…this will be interesting…
June 08, 2010 at 7:45 am, Johnny said:
I think this is a big mistake letting Chilemba drop the weight ,and there is no way that it is only 4kg.This is when the trainer must step in, Harold wont let his fighters drop so much weight at all just fill the bill.Even if it is 4 kg that is allot to shake off on the night of the fight he will be dehydrated and that is not good for the fighter.Bolling will be in South Africa next week just to get use to our climate so expect a hard fight Chilemba and a short one.
June 08, 2010 at 9:09 am, Britt :-) said:
Johnny we think alike, this is going to be the wipe-out of the night, this is going to brake Isaac as a second string fighter.
June 08, 2010 at 2:27 pm, Johnny said:
Yes Britt I Agree Look for me on faceBook Johnny Du Preez
June 08, 2010 at 3:12 pm, Britt said:
All due respect Johnny I don’t believe in social networking but hey we could chat boxing via email if you would like to mail me on anthony.blignault@gmail.com .
June 09, 2010 at 9:17 am, Terry Pettifer said:
Bolling arrived in SA last weekend already and is acclimatising very well according to reports.
June 09, 2010 at 10:25 am, Britt said:
Hey Mr. Where does he train and when can we see him spar? anyway he’s in our country now Isaac or you fight this fight like you have never fought be for or go home with tears in your eye’s “boet” make us proud, we all Tommy was going to make us proud now the IBO title is in your hand’s, the ball is in your court, “use it or lose it”
June 09, 2010 at 12:32 pm, Classy said:
At Colins Hotbox
June 10, 2010 at 8:16 am, FanoftheGUN said:
Slowly but surely the evening of the 19th is creeping closer and closer. Tickets are ready, plans are made …….. now we just wait !! I’ve never been to a boxing event, so super excited !!
June 10, 2010 at 11:40 am, britt said:
This website I dead Mr Terry, you should make this “space” where we as fans write our, Blogs, or topic on the boxing in South-Africa involving GGP. Something like east-side-boxing have! Just a suggestion!
June 10, 2010 at 3:17 pm, Britt (",) said:
I thing if golden gloves promotions really wants to put up a extravaganza of a show let Thabiso Mchunu fight Beibut Shumenov for the world WBA Cruiserweight title at The Palace of dreams and have Thomas fight on the same card for that IBO Super-middleweight title, dam um a match maker!
June 11, 2010 at 12:44 am, michael said:
Isaac is a joke… he said he is going to knock out bolling in 2 rounds…what a dreamer!!
June 13, 2010 at 3:50 pm, Terry Pettifer said:
Since you’ve never been to a boxing event “FanoftheGun” you should be really excited! Funny enough based on your regular contributions to this website that really astounds me!
June 13, 2010 at 3:54 pm, Terry Pettifer said:
Come up with a sponsor for that sort of bill (and we’re talking big bombs) as well as the overall cost of staging such an event and we’ll talk Britt.
June 14, 2010 at 7:30 am, Britt said:
Deal Mr.T!
June 14, 2010 at 9:23 am, FanoftheGUN said:
Lol, sure it astounds you Terry …. never really was a big boxing fan …. until I started following Tommy’s career … (him being a member of the same church I go to). So through him and Britt, and the past few televised events, I got to know a few of the fighters’ names etc ..
So really looking forward to the Bolling fight, Flo Simba, Bedeman and Hekkie’s rematch …
Also dragging along 7x other “not so much into boxing” fans on Saturday night … RINGSIDE!!!
June 26, 2010 at 3:18 pm, david haye said:
(To Britt) stop dreaming you cant mix sheeps with Buffalos you cant talk about beibut shimenov and that little boy Thabiso in the same sentence.
shimenov trains with don turner( evander holyfields trainer)he has beat numerous world champions name fighters former WBA super middle weight Champion Montel griffin, WBA,Ibf champ Byron Mitchel,WBA light heavyweight champ Gabriell campilo.
Who has Thabiso beat? Patrick madzinga..? sean sentana?
Please get serious
beside: beibut shimenov is worth 250 million dollards.. ineritance from his khazakstan royal family.. he is 26 years and promote his own boxing fights, pays his opponents.. including the next world title the will be staged in california.
Good advice: let Mcunu fight ILUNGA MAKABU, Daniel Bruwer or The The Cold Blooded Zack Mwekassa the all live in johannesburg and let see if he comes out alive…