AFTER exchanging verbal barbs for some time a while Nkosinathi Joyi and Hekkie Budler will finally get a chance to back their bold predictions in the ring when they clash for Budler’s IBO mini-flyweight title at Emperors Palace on June 15.
This was announced by Golden Gloves Promotions (GGP) boss Rodney Berman at a packed press conference at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park yesterday (Tue).
Joyi, who severed ties with Johannesburg promoter Bran co Milenkovic last October, will be fighting in a GGP show for the first time since he left after only one fight in 2006.
Ironically in the lone fight he had under GGP Joyi won the IBO crown now held by Budler.
He later claimed the IBF ti tle under Milenkovic’s tute lage but after only one defence he lost it in a stunning fashion when he was stopped in seven rounds by unheralded Mexi can Mario Rodriguez.
When he was the IBF cham pion he and Budler kept ex changing verbal jabs with each claiming to be better than the other.
Budler, who claimed the IBO crown previously held by Joyi, even defended his crown against Filipino Florante Con des to measure himself against an opponent who had previously lost to the Mda ntsane southpaw in an IBF ti tle eliminator.
While Joyi’s management had stated the fighter was looking for bigger fights such as the WBA world title chal lenge, it insisted fighting Budler was part of the plan for a world title conquest.
Joyi’s mentor Siphatho Han di, who had an acrimonious split with Berman in 2006, ar gued his charge was not tak ing a step backwards by chal lenging for Budler’s IBO crown.
Handi insisted they were not interested in the IBO title on the line on June 14.
“The only reason we took the fight against Budler was because of Budler’s high ratings with the WBC and IBF,” Handi argued.
“Otherwise the IBO title he holds does not interest us be cause we held the very same title and it took us nowhere.”
Budler is rated third by the WBC and is on the verge of challenging for its title held by Chinese Xiong Zhao Zhong.
Handi said Berman assured him the winner between Joyi and Budler would get a shot at Zhong’s title in his Monaco tournament on July 13.
Berman has clinched a deal with Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco to promote two tournaments there, starting with the event on March 30 dubbed the “Monte Carlo Super Four Million Dollar Show” featuring American Edwin Rodriguez against Argentinian Olympian Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna and Hungarian Zsolt Erdei facing Russian Denis Grachev with the winners meeting for a final fight on July 13.
Joyi’s loss to Rodriguez was his first defeat in 25 fights while Budler’s record also sports a single loss in 23 bouts.
It was also announced at yesterday’s press gathering that Mdantsane’s Mzolisi Yoyo would defend his SA junior- welterweight crown against Johannesburg’s Jason Bede man on the undercard of the Joyi-Budler clash.
However, Yoyo must first get past Thapelo Potwana against whom he defends at the Orient Theatre in East London on April 7.
Joyi and Budler to square off
This was announced by Golden Gloves Promotions (GGP) boss Rodney Berman at a packed press conference at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park yesterday (Tue).
Joyi, who severed ties with Johannesburg promoter Bran co Milenkovic last October, will be fighting in a GGP show for the first time since he left after only one fight in 2006.
Ironically in the lone fight he had under GGP Joyi won the IBO crown now held by Budler.
He later claimed the IBF ti tle under Milenkovic’s tute lage but after only one defence he lost it in a stunning fashion when he was stopped in seven rounds by unheralded Mexi can Mario Rodriguez.
When he was the IBF cham pion he and Budler kept ex changing verbal jabs with each claiming to be better than the other.
Budler, who claimed the IBO crown previously held by Joyi, even defended his crown against Filipino Florante Con des to measure himself against an opponent who had previously lost to the Mda ntsane southpaw in an IBF ti tle eliminator.
While Joyi’s management had stated the fighter was looking for bigger fights such as the WBA world title chal lenge, it insisted fighting Budler was part of the plan for a world title conquest.
Joyi’s mentor Siphatho Han di, who had an acrimonious split with Berman in 2006, ar gued his charge was not tak ing a step backwards by chal lenging for Budler’s IBO crown.
Handi insisted they were not interested in the IBO title on the line on June 14.
“The only reason we took the fight against Budler was because of Budler’s high ratings with the WBC and IBF,” Handi argued.
“Otherwise the IBO title he holds does not interest us be cause we held the very same title and it took us nowhere.”
Budler is rated third by the WBC and is on the verge of challenging for its title held by Chinese Xiong Zhao Zhong.
Handi said Berman assured him the winner between Joyi and Budler would get a shot at Zhong’s title in his Monaco tournament on July 13.
Berman has clinched a deal with Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco to promote two tournaments there, starting with the event on March 30 dubbed the “Monte Carlo Super Four Million Dollar Show” featuring American Edwin Rodriguez against Argentinian Olympian Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna and Hungarian Zsolt Erdei facing Russian Denis Grachev with the winners meeting for a final fight on July 13.
Joyi’s loss to Rodriguez was his first defeat in 25 fights while Budler’s record also sports a single loss in 23 bouts.
It was also announced at yesterday’s press gathering that Mdantsane’s Mzolisi Yoyo would defend his SA junior- welterweight crown against Johannesburg’s Jason Bede man on the undercard of the Joyi-Budler clash.
However, Yoyo must first get past Thapelo Potwana against whom he defends at the Orient Theatre in East London on April 7.
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