Liebenberg issues warning to Oosthuizen

THE all-to-fight-for IBO light-heavyweight title has two headstrong boxers wanting to put their hands on it.

The Stand and deliver boxing tournament will take the form of an exclusive affair on Saturday March 21 at Emperors Palace presented by Golden Gloves Promotions. The main bout will feature Ryno Liebenberg and Tommy Oosthuizen. The undercards will be announced in the new year.

“I wanted this fight a year ago, but then something happened, I wanted to fight Tommy for some time now, and this is the time. I can fight him any day and I will win this one,” said Ryno Liebenberg.

“Is it Tommy ‘Run’ or Tommy ‘Gun’,” Hot Box trainer, Colin Nathan, asked Tommy “Gun” Oosthuizen at a heated boxing Press Conference on Tuesday December 10, ahead of the Ryno Liebenberg/Tommy Oosthuizen fight, which will be the first big tournament of 2015 hosted in South Africa.

“I have running shoes for you if the size fits you may have them,” said Nathan, prompting a response from the Harold Volbrecht gymnasium. “Either sizes, I will take them, but let’s sort this out in the ring. I know that Ryno is a hard trainer and he trains well, but we will be ready for whatever comes our way,” said Tommy Oosthuizen.

After the conference, Liebenberg was the first to issue a warning to Oosthuizen, with pushing and shoving, a head bump and eye glare at the official photo session. Trainer Harold Volbrecht was the trainer who stepped in to cool matters down.

The boxing fraternity can look forward to one of the most heated boxing tournament for a very long period since the Gerrie Coetsee and Kallie Knoetze heydays of boxing.

Oosthuizen (23-0-2, 14 KOs) perfectly captured the essence of the fight: “There are two dogs and one bone. Just one can have the bone.”

Liebenberg (16-1, 11 KOs) also mentioned that Oosthuizen haven’t fought any boxer of significance, and fought overblown super-middleweights. “Your name is Tommy Gun, but you shoot blanks.”

He also said that four times he had fought Hammer Gym boxers, winning each time, and promised that Oosthuizen would be number five.

Oosthuizen, coming back to the ring in the latter part of the year after going through some rough patches in his personal live, said: “I have had some bad times and personal time off, but there is no reason for anyone handling me like a criminal. I love my job and that is boxing, and I know that I am giving Harold grey hair, but I will keep doing that. But above all I love my job – boxing.”

Promoter Rodney Berman said that both boxers have their own value. He said it would rank among SA’s best, which include Gerrie Coetzee vs Kallie Knoetze, Pierre Coetzer v Johnny du Plooy and Cassius Baloyi vs Phillip Ndou.

“Rivalries keep boxing alive. This one could be the biggest grudge match of them all. Boxing needs this type of event, and what makes it so compelling is that a case could be made for either fighter winning. I rank it as one of the most exciting fights we’ve put together.”

The boxing tournament will take the form of an exclusive Box ‘n Dine. Tickets will be available in the new year.