Malcolm Klassen will challenge Will Tomlinson for the IBO super-featherweight title in Australia in May.
Golden Gloves promoter Rodney Berman announced in Johannesburg on Thursday that Klassen would take on the undefeated Tomlinson in Melbourne on May 10.
Two other South Africans will fight on the same bill. Sipho Taliwe is set to meet Australian Matt Garlett in a super-featherweight bout and Danie Venter will face Brad Pitt.
Pitt is a former Commonwealth Games heavyweight champion who also fought at the 2008 Olympics. As a professional, he won his first 13 fight and claimed the Australian cruiserweight title.
The 30-year-old Klassen may even set his sights on IBF champion Juan Carlos Salgado if he beats Tomlinson.
"In the right mood, Klassen can beat almost anyone,” Berman said. “He still has all the skill that have earned him two IBF championship belts."
After Klassen's impressive victory over Cassius Baloyi late last year, Berman said he would make every effort to secure Klassen a chance to try to win a third IBF super-featherweight title.
It has not worked out that way but Berman has arranged for Klassen to challenge Tomlinson, who has won 20 and drawn one of his professional fights.
Klassen has also held the WBF title, but has fought only three times in the past three years because of problems between him, promoters and trainers.
Berman said on Thursday he had made contact with the IBF to map out a course that would enable Klassen to fight Salgado in a unification bout if the South African beats Tomlinson.
Among the other capable fighters in the division are Algenis Mendes from the Dominican Republic, Americans Diego Magdaleno and Rances Barthelemy, and Argentina's Fernando Sance.
No comments:
Post a Comment