Big boxing returns to Carnival City

CARNIVAL City will be the battleground for the second event in the newly launched pan-African boxing series, Friday Fight Nights.

The nail-biting event, dubbed the Big Top Beat Down, will take place in the Big Top Arena on April 28. This showdown will see fighters from nine African countries competing in 10 thrilling bouts, including three title bouts.

The new boxing series was launched at Sun International with the inaugural Friday Fight Night on March 31.

Notable fighters going to battle at the Big Top Arena include the world rated Cruiserweight Junior Makabu from the DRC, who will compete in a non-title bout on the back of his loss to Tony Bellew at Goodison Park.

This fight will provide a great opportunity for Makabu to return to winning ways and get back into the global cruiserweight picture.

Another headline fighter at the event is Ruann Visser, who returns from a three-week training camp in Austria as Wladimir Klitschko’s main sparring partner. He will face a tough customer in Kenya’s Bernard Adie, who is a tricky journeyman with a lot of experience.

The highly rated Tommy Oosthuizen will compete against an opponent still to be announced for the vacant ABU South Light Heavyweight Title.

Other boxers on the fight card are the current South African Heavyweight Champion Osbourne Machimana, who is matched against Ghana’s Paakwesi Ankrah for the vacant WBF African Heavyweight Title, and the DRC’s Jimmy Mbanji, who squares up against WBF Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Champion, David Bassjammuville from Uganda, both over 10 rounds.

The Friday Fight Nights series, made possible by Africa’s newest Pay-Tv broadcaster Kwesé TV and Kalakoda Promotions, will be a true showcase of African boxing talent and provide a fresh opportunity to reposition the sweet science of boxing across the continent.

Doors to the Big Top Arena will open at 6pm, with the first fight at 6.30pm. Tickets are on sale at Computicket from R150.