Tough task awaits BSA to pick best fight of the year

BSA nominee Gideon Buthelezi unleashes punches as Angel Aviles flinches during their IBO bantamweight title fight in Ekurhuleni in April.
BSA nominee Gideon Buthelezi unleashes punches as Angel Aviles flinches during their IBO bantamweight title fight in Ekurhuleni in April.
Image: VELI NHLAPO

The adjudication committee of Boxing South Africa's 2017 award will have a daunting task in deciding which of the three matches nominated for the male fight of the year award will win the 'Oscar'.

The committee will meet in Port Elizabeth early on Friday to decide on all the winners in the 16 categories.

The actual ceremony will take place at Boardwalk Casino in Port Elizabeth on Friday night.

The competition is watertight between the three nominated bouts in the male fight of the year category.

Whether one likes rousing brawls between all-action heroes who never take a step backwards, or prefer the dramatic build of pairings between elite boxers - the past 12 months had it all - just about every weekend.

The nominated matches are the IBO junior bantamweight championship fight between Gideon Buthelezi and Mexican Angel Aviles; the vacant interim WBO title fight between Zolani Tete and Arthur Villanueva of the Philippines; and the Gauteng junior flyweight bout between Mpho Seforo and Thabang Ramagole.

Buthelezi's savage and iron chin proved to be major factors in producing an exciting all-action slugfest with tough-as-teak Aviles at Kempton Park Indoor Sports Centre on March 31.

This bout featured most of the elements that makes for a legendary bout which includes insane work rate.

But even better, it was contested at such a high level from the technical standpoint. Buthelezi retained his IBO junior bantamweight belt on points.

Tete took on Villanueva at Leicester Arena in Leicester, England on April 22.

Tete utilised his superior speed and counter-punching ability on Villanueva who became increasingly reticent to press action.

Tete won the title by a lopsided margins.

Very few people knew Seforo before he took on Ramagole for the provincial title in Kagiso on October 28.

Seforo beat the equally competent foe in their nail biting bout.

BSA chief executive Tsholofelo Lejaka said he was sympathetic towards the adjudication committee because of the closeness of competition in most of the 16 categories.

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