Joyi-Takayama, Baloyi-Mendez Top Big Carnival City Card

By Chris LaBate

This Saturday at Carnival City in Brakpan, South Africa, promoter Branco Milenkovic is putting on a very impressive card. In one of the main bouts Nkosinathi Joyi (21-0, 15KOs) is set to defend his IBF mini-flyweight belt against Katsunari Takayama (24-4, 10KOs) of Japan.

Takayama returns to the site where he earned his title shot, when stopping Tshepo Lefele over six rounds. Two fights ago he was outclassed by top boxer Roman Gonzalez. Joyi makes the first defense of the title he won from last March when he beat Raul Garcia.

In the co-feature, Cassius Baloyi meets Argenis Mendiz in an IBF junior lightweight title eliminator. Baloyi (37-5-1, 19KOs) has impressed in his recent fights. He hopes to change things around when he faces once-beaten 27-year-old Mendez (17-1, 9KOs). The winner will get the right to challenge champion Mzonke Fana of South Africa.

Baloyi lost two out of his last three ring appearance, including a decision loss to Fana from last September and an April 2009 knockout defeat to Malcolm Klassen. Mendez has won five fights in a row since losing a split decision to Jaime Sandoval in October 2008.

Also on the card, welterweights Chris van Heerden (14-1-1, 10KOs) and Boitshepo Mandawe (8-1, 6KOs) collide in a rematch, light heavyweights Daniel Bruwer (22-2-1, 18KOs) and Ruben Groenewald (23-8-3, 10KOs) will clash, and welterweight contender Phillip Ndou (33-4, 32KOs) will go up against Welcome Ntshingila (16-12-3, 5KOs).