Mbityi's fourth attempt at world title

By Mesuli Zifo

EAST LONDON -- SA flyweight king Zolile Mbityi yesterday flew to Poland for a date with Bulgarian Dimitar Alipev this Friday in Poland, confident of bringing home a world title after three failed attempts on previous occasions.

Mbityi will be battling with the Bulgarian boxer for the vacant International Boxing Organisation (IBO) flyweight title and the Border boxer is looking at nothing less than being crowned a new cham-pion.

"This opportunity is long overdue and I am not missing it this time," Mbityi said before jetting out to Poland via England.

It will be the fourth time Mbityi will be challenging for a world title after suffering disgraceful decisions on two occasions in the three previous efforts.

In 1995 he was declared a loser to Thailand's Fanlan Sakkreenin for the WBF flyweight title challenge while most people thought the Border boxer had done enough to win the title.

In the same year Mbityi challenged Mexican Alberto Jiminez and was stopped in the second round of a one-sided WBO flyweight title fight.

Early this year Mbityi was again declared a loser to England's Peter Culshaw during a WBU flyweight title challenge although again people at the ringside thought the South African had done enough to win.

But this time Mbityi has promised not to let the judges decide the fight "because I am always unfortunate when I left the decisions to them".

On paper the South African should have no problem against the Bul-garian, but the battle is fought in the ring not on paper.

Apart from coming from a country not known for boxing, the Bulgarian's record of 10 fights, nine wins and a loss does not suggest that he has been in boxing for long.

Alipev again does not carry a mean punch as suggested by only two opponents he stopped in his fight record, meaning Mbityi will need to go all out on him .

The only hiccup in the South African camp is they have not been able to get Alipev's video tape and do not have a clue on the Bulgarian's techniques.

"We do not know whether he is southpaw, a brawler or a boxer.

''But we will study him in the ring and by the fifth round we will know what he is," Mbityi's trainer Menzi Nqodi said.

Should Mbityi win the title he will be the sixth world champion from the Border region and the third IBO champion in the country.