JOHANNESBURG -  There was very little to write home about after yesterday’s weigh-in and pre-fight medical, held ironically enough in the jockey's room, and one gets the feeling that the fighters are geared up to do their talking in the ring.

Six bouts make up tonight’s card, a box and dine affair, but there is more than enough variety to whet the appetite, particularly in the bouts between the heavier fighters.

Elvis Moyo will take on Joseph Chingangu in a heavyweight clash that promises heavy punches.

 Moyo, now training under Gert Strydom, is eager to shake off the cobwebs following a period of inactivity that lasted over a year, against a fighter who has been in with Wladimir Klitschko but whose career is reaching its twilight years, having started back in 1992.

In a cruiserweight contest, Kevin “Young Guns” Lerena will be looking to advance his promising career when he meets Alex Mbaya.

Lerena has racked up three stoppage wins since his debut last year and although he will be facing a reach disadvantage against a taller fighter, he is fancied to win against a man coming off a hat-trick of losses, his last, a first round stoppage against Danie Venter back in April.

“Obviously the fights between the bigger guys, that’s what everyone is looking forward to but the bout between Prince Ndlovu and my fighter Thembani Hobyane should be a cracker,” trainer-promoter Manny Fernandes said yesterday.

Ndlovu and Hobyane  meet in a featherweight contest while Dowayne Combrink – also trained by Fernandes – will meet David Mngcombolo in a  junior-middleweight  contest and Oumpie Stivens  meets Humbulani Netshamutshedzi.


n In other boxing news  on the local front yesterday, Rainbow Promotions  boss Pat Molefe unveiled the plans for his next show to take place on October 14 at Nasrec.

Topping the bill will be the first defence of current national welterweight champion Tsiko Mulovhedzi’s title against Kyle Smith.

While the title fight will head the bill, it is the main supporting feature that will no doubt have most boxing fans interested –  a scheduled eight round encounter between Malcolm Klassen and Cassius Baloyi in a  rematch of their 2009 fight.

That time around, Baloyi was on the losing end in a ninth round stoppage, but the veteran former multiple world title holder – who has only lost seven times in 45 fights – has vowed to avenge that defeat.