By Rey Danseco
WBC International minimumweight champion Gabriel Pumar looms to defend his crown for the first time against South African titlist Nkosinathi Joyi in the battle of unbeaten fighters next month in South Africa.
WBC International championship chairman Mauro Betti of Italy is confident that Serbian-African promoter Branco Milenkovic, the owner of Pumar’s three defenses, will soon confirm the staging of the 12-round title fight
Betti believes Pumar’s defense matters most because the “Philippines has always been very important for our WBC activity.”
“Pumar-Jovi was a proposal made to me by my friend Branco Milenkovic last March 31st in Johannesburg,” Betti told this writer yesterday. “There is no written application, although I am sure Branco is working on it, and is already busy trying to set a date for the fight.”
On the other hand, Milenkovic relayed to this writer in a presser Wednesday that he has reservation at Nasrec Indoor Arena in Johannesburg, South Africa on September 29.
Milenkovic didn’t elaborate the huge possibility that he would put the anticipated Pumar-Joyi confrontation in the card until his planned announcement next Monday. In a presser, Milenkovic called the secured date at Nasrec Arena as “another enterprising venture” and revealed “the main event still to be confirmed”.
It can be recalled that Milenkovic had assured to this writer sometime in April that Philippine aficionados can see the 18-year old champion from Lapu-Lapu City in action live in his native land.
“We don’t know when and against who will be his first defense, but it doesn’t have to be necessary in South Africa and against South African boxer,” said Milenkovic in email from Johannesburg. “It can be (held) in (the) Philippines as well.”
The 5-foot-4 Pumar dethroned Milenkovic’s previously unbeaten champion Tshepo Lefele for the crown with a ruthless knockout win in round 7 on March 31 before a shocked crowd at popular Wembley Arena in Johannesburg. But he retained the rights to promote the Filipino’s title defenses.
Jovi is the brightest hope to bring back to the crown in South Africa being his country’s best fighter in 105 pound-limit class since April 2004 when he won the vacant national title with first round stoppage over Mzikayse Foslare.
After his last appearance and fifth title defense on April 1 in East London, Joyi was suggested by South African major daily called Dispatch to be rated as the best fighter in their country when he took less than three minutes to end the one-sided slaughter of challenger Thulani Ndyamarha in their SA mini-flyweight title showdown.
The WBC ranked the 23-year old Joyi No. 28. He is unscathed in 15 fights with 10 went in short routes.
Pumar has higher rating at No. 12 by the WBC and taking care of 9-0, 6 KOs records.
