Big venue switch on cards

The struggle to secure an adequate venue in Port Elizabeth may force organisers to shift the boxing extravaganza scheduled there to East London.

While, Xaba Promotions and Events (XPE) are still working around the clock to secure the venue in PE, insiders say the show, which has a distinct East London flavour, may in fact come to the city instead.

XPE will host the show in partnership with Last Born Promotions on December 18.

Six titles, including a world title will be at stake in an event which will see the Tete brothers included on the bill for the first time in championship bouts.

The main bout sees Makazole Tete attempting to succeed Lwandile Sityatha as the IBO junior-bantamweight king, when he fights for the vacant crown against former belt-holder Gideon Buthelezi.

Buthelezi is still bitter that his hand was not raised aloft after he thought he had done enough to dethrone Sityatha to regain the title in July. He now gets a chance to make amends at the expense of the unbeaten Makazole.

“Buthelezi has chosen the wrong time to regain the title because he will not get it this time,” Makazole said. Zolani, Makazole’s younger brother – and more illustrious of the two – returns to action to share the bill with his sibling, when he takes on Filipino Jether Oliva in a junior-bantamweight duel with the WBO Africa belt up for grabs.

Sityatha will vie for the WBO International bantamweight against another Filipino, Ernesto Saulong.

Other boxers to feature on the bill against a foreign brigade, include Ali Funeka and Aphiwe Mboyiya, who both are vying for WBO African titles in the welterweight and junior-lightweight divisions, respectively. This boxing extravaganza will draw a full-house to East London, if it is staged here.

The iconic Nangoza Jebe Hall – formerly Great Centenary Hall in PE – is reportedly fully-booked up until January.

The Feathermarket Hall in the PE city centre, is said to be too small while Boardwalk Casino is also suspected to be a tad too small for a tournament of such magnitude.

“We may have to revert back to East London if things are not going well in terms of securing a venue in PE,” one insider said.

XPE took the show to the windy city to replace a tournament by Last Born Promotions that was originally planned to be held there due to the requirements by national department of sports which would have funded the event.

But now with the department reportedly delaying to release the funds there is no longer a need to take such a show to Port Elizabeth.