By Mesuli Zifo
The management of South African super middleweight prospect Thomas Oosthuizen is accusing fighters of running scared of the unbeaten southpaw following his impressive victory over Aaron Pryor Jnr in US last month.
The 23-year-old is scheduled to headline a Golden Gloves Promotion (GGP) tournament at Emperors Palace in South Africa on November 23 but the opponent he had already secured has suddenly chickened out.
He was to defend his IBO super middleweight crown against Russian Maxim Vlasov but the American- based challenger has withdrawn for unknown reasons.
“Vlasov has informed us that he is no longer going ahead with the fight and did not specify,” said GGP publicist and former WBA/IBF junior lightweight champion Brian Mitchell.
Despite posing a serious threat to Oosthuizen (17-0-1, 11Kos), Vlasov has changed his mind about facing Oosthuizen and opted out of the bout.
The Russian suffered his single loss in 22 bouts to SA-based Malawian Isaac Chilembe who fought to a draw with Oosthuizen.
According to Mitchell, Vlasov is the second fighter to turn down the fight after GGP first approached highly regarded Cameroonian-born Australian based Sakio Bika who also rejected the offer.
Bika’s alleged refusal to fight Oosthuizen is strange after he was quoted in an international website bemoaning his inactivity and declaring himself willing to take any fight coming his way.
Although Bika would have been favoured to beat Oosthuizen as he has faced far better opposition in his 35 fight career, suffering three of his five losses to unbeaten champions Lucien Bute (IBF), Andre Ward (WBA) and Joe Calzaghe, Mitchell says he flatly refused to take the fight.
“We first approached Bika before even considering Vlasov and he turned us down,” Mitchell emphasised.
GGP is now racing against time to find a replacement before Tuesday’s official press conference announcing the tournament.
