Cintron-Martinez, Campbell-Funeka, Marquez-Diaz, John-Juarez – News

By Boxing News - 02/05/2009 - Comments

Rodney Berman’s Golden Gloves and Arthur Pelullo’s Banner Promotions will present a sensational world championship fight card on Saturday, March 21, 2009, at Emperors Palace, located at 64 Jones Street in Kempton Park, South Africa. Featured fights will be televised live on Supersport beginning at 8:00 P.M. local time (2000).

In the main event scheduled for 12 rounds, Zolani “Untouchable” Marali, 19-2 with 13 knockouts, of Mdantse, South Africa, will battle Fahsai Sakkreenin, 23-1 with 9 knockouts, of Chiang Mai, Thailand, for the vacant International Boxing Organization super featherweight world title.

Marali is a five-foot, 11-inches tall lefthander who previously held the South African super bantamweight title as well as the IBO featherweight title. Now 31 years old, he challenged for the IBO super featherweight world title in his last fight on July 30, 2008, and lost a controversial 12 round decision against local favorite Billy Dib in Newcastle, Australia.

Secondsout.com reported [excerpts]: Three senior IBO officials have independently reviewed the controversial July 30 IBO super featherweight world championship bout between Billy Dib and Zolani Marali, and concluded that a rematch must take place within 90 days.

Dib, from New South Wales, Australia, where the July 30 bout took place, was awarded a unanimous decision victory and the vacant IBO 130 lbs. title on scores of 116-114, 116-112 and 114-113, however Team Marali subsequently lodged a protest with Florida-based sanctioning body. Marali scored a knockdown of Dib in round three and felt he deserved the verdict.

Upon review, the senior trio of IBO officials scored the bout in favor of the southpaw South African – hence the mandated rematch. [End Secondsout.com item]

Dib took another fight instead, and vacated the title.

Sakkreenin, who is 27 years old and stands five-foot, seven-inches tall, is a four-year professional veteran. He has won 18 fights in a row, seven by knockout, since his only loss in April, 2005. The IBF Pan Pacific featherweight champion with five successful title defenses, he will be fighting outside of his native Thailand for the first time.

2008 U.S. Olympian Demetrius Andrade, 2-0 with 2 knockouts, of Providence, Rhode Island, will also be featured on the card in a six-round super welterweight bout against South African Jerry Nekubve, 3-0. Andrade is co-promoted by Star Boxing and Banner Promotions,

Also: 12 ROUNDS, HEAVYWEIGHTS – WBA PAN AFRICAN TITLE

Jake Els, 8-1, 8 KOs, South Africa, vs. Thamsanqa Dube, 8-2, 4 KOs, Zimbabwe.

12 ROUNDS, JR. FLYWEIGHTS – IBO PAN AFRICAN TITLE

Hekkie Budler, 9-0, 4 KOs, South Africa, vs. Charitt Mukondeleli, 7-6, 1 KO, South Africa.

8 ROUNDS, CRUISERWEIGHTS

Jarred Lovett, 5-0, 5 KOs, South Africa, vs. Anon Donpradit, Thailand.

4 ROUNDS, JR. LIGHTWEIGHTS

Sibusiso Khumalo, 0-1, South Africa, vs. Octavius Mbiri, South Africa.

4 ROUNDS, FLYWEIGHTS

Jackson Chauke, 2-0, 2 KOs, South Africa, vs. Peter Phelane, 2-1, 1 KO, South Africa.

All bouts subject to change without notice.

Doors open at: 7:00 P.M. (1900h)

First fight at: 8:00 P.M. (2000h)

Tickets prices: R50, R100, R150 (South African rand; $5, $10, $15 – U.S. dollars).

FEBRUARY 2009 HBO BOXING HIGHLIGHTS Premiering Live on HBO Canada day-and-date with HBO in the U.S. Available in High Definition and On Demand

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT FIGHT (12 RDS)

SERGIO MARTINEZ (Spain)

Top Rated Contender

(44-1, 24 KOs)

Vs.

KERMIT CINTRON

Former Welterweight Champion

(30-2, 27 KOs)

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT FIGHT (12 RDS)

ALFREDO ANGULO

Junior Middleweight Contender

(14-0, 11 KOs)

Vs

TBA

LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT (12 RDS)

NATE CAMPBELL

Lightweight Champion (WBA, IBF, WBO)

(32-5-1, 25 KOs)

Vs.

ALI FUNEKA (South Africa)

Top Rated Contender

(30-1-2, 25 KOs)

HBO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Saturday, February 28, 2009 at 10 p.m. ET (8 p.m. MT) From Toyota Centre in Houston, Texas.

LIGHTWEIGHT FIGHT (12 RDS)

JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ

(49-4-1, 36 KOs)

Vs

JUAN DIAZ

(34-1-0, 17 KOs)

WBA FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT (12 RDS)

CHRIS JOHN

(42-0-1, 22 KOs)

Vs

RICARDO JUAREZ

(28-4-0, 20 KOs)



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