Alberto Rossell could give Malinga
a nasty surprise

WARRIOR: Vusi Malinga celebrates winning the WBC International Bantamweight bout against Nkosinathi Tshinavhe at the Graceland Hotel Casino and Country Club in Secunda, Gauteng, in this September 2005 file picture. Picture: TOUCHLINE

By MESULI ZIFO

VUSI Malinga risks his lofty
World Boxing Council (WBC)
bantamweight rating when he takes on Alberto Rossel from
Peru at the Nasrec Indoor Centre on August24.

Malinga, who is listed at a tantalising fifth spot for the WBC title, will be defending his WBC International crown in what might be his last bout before challenging for the fully-fledged world crown.

The southpaw fighter nearly saw his world title hopes go up in smoke when he was battered by Philippines fighter Jerope Mercado only for the judges to score the bout a draw and save Malinga an obvious defeat.

His promoter Branco Milenkovic then promised to give Mercado a rematch but, according to Milenkovic, the Filipino dangerman must wait in the queue.

“This bout is important to
Malinga because if he loses he will likely miss the opportunity to fight for a world title,” Milenkovic said.

Malinga, who has lost twice and drawn once in 18 bouts, took a year off from boxing when he was suspended for failing a dope test.

His suspension cost him a world title challenge and his South African crown, but he rebounded well to claim the WBC International title which helped him climb the ratings ladder again.

Rossel is a dark horse, but a cursory glance at his fight record shows he could spring a surprise if Malinga is not prepared.

Rossel, who started his career as a mini-flyweight fighter, has lost six times in 25 bouts with the majority of his losses suffered against such world-class fighters as former WBC junior-flyweight champion Brian Viloria, Luis Alberto Lazarte and world mini-flyweight champions Ivan Calderon and Daniel Reyes.

On the same bill, Evans Mbamba will defend his WBC International junior-bantamweight title against Pedro Cardenas from Chile.

Mbamba, who is yet to lose a fight in 13 bouts which includes six stoppages, will have to prove that his controversial title bout against East London fighter Zolile Mbityi in November last year was no fluke.

But Cardenas appears no such threat if his fight record is anything to go by.

The Chilean fighter has lost three times in 12 bouts and has not faced any formidable foes of note to be a threat to Mbamba’s title reign.