By Ronnie Nathanielsz

In a battle of former world champions lanky Malcolm Tunacao of the Philippines defends his WBC International super flyweight title against former two division world champion  Masibulele “Hawk” Makepula of South Africa with the date and venue to be decided following a purse bid with the deadline set for January 9 according to well known South African promoter Branco Malenkovic.

Mauro Betti of the WBC ratings committee earlier dismissed reports that Tunacao, the former WBC flyweight champion, had been stripped of the title and indicated the WBC had called for a purse bid since Tunacao’s handlers had failed to negotiate with the handlers of the mandatory challenger. Tunacao won the WBC International title with a fifth round KO of Indonesia’s Ringo Jaguar on September 26, 2003. His last fight was a unanimous ten round decision over Bernard Uclos on September 19, 2004. Tunacao who won the WBC flyweight title from Medgoen 3K Battery via a seventh round KO on May 19, 2000, lost it in his second title defense against reigning champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam on March 2, 2001. Medgoen 3K Battery had won  the crown by KO over Manny Pacquiao who couldn't make the weight and was stripped of the title. The 27 year old Tunacao has a record of 16-1-2 with 11 knockouts.

Malenkovic informed Viva Sports/Manila Standard that Makepula is “a very good boxer” with a record of 24-3 with 17 knockouts and that his losses “were against very good boxers” including one against longtime IBF champion Irene Pacheco which, according to Malenkovic was “daylight robbery.”  He said that Makepula was WBO. IBO and WBU champion in two different divisions and holds a win over the great, three-time world
champion also in two divisions, Jake Matlala.

Makepula who stands a mere five feet compared to Tunacao who stands 5’4” won all his four fights last year, two by KO and two by TKO. He scored a fourth round TKO over Johannes Maisa on March 12, a third round TKO over Lunga Ntontela on April 24, a sixth round KO against Zanomzi Xola on July 23 and a tenth round KO over Sergio Carlos Santillan on November 19. Among the Filipinos beaten by  Makepula were Melvin Magramo over whom he scored a seventh round TKO in a battle for the vacant IBO flyweight title on January 26, 2002 and a unanimous ten round decision over current Philippine No. 1 super flyweight Roy Doliguez.