DAPUDONG TO DEFEND WORLD TITLE AUG. 31

South African boxing, apparently stung by Edrin “The Sting” Dapudong’s sensational first round knockout win over Zulu fighter Gideon Buthelezi last Saturday, has asked the new Filipino champion to defend his IBO Jr. Bantamweight Title on Aug. 31.

Rodney Berman, owner of Golden Gloves Boxing Promotion of South Africa, has informed matchmaker Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde, Jr. that the Filipino champion will take on former world miniflyweight champion Nkosinathi Joyi, also a South African, in Johannesburg.

Elorde relayed the information to me yesterday and I will have to relay this in turn to Dapudong’s Philippine promoter, ALA Boxing Promotions of Cebu City.

The first title defense, which will come less than three months after Dapudong won the title, is part of the three-fight option which Golden Gloves asked me and Edrin to sign prior to the staging of the June 15 return bout against Buthelezi.

Personally, I am not quite satisfied with the choice of the opponent because Joyi is coming from a loss also last June 15 to Hekkie Budler by split decision and will be moving up 10 lbs. in weight to fight Dapudong.

But this is a contractual obligation that we cannot turn our back from and we have to honor the contract that we signed allowing Golden Gloves to promote Dapudong’s first three title defenses.

Unless we buy out their options, which is very unlikely because Dapudong will still have to convince skeptics that he has the potential to become an outstanding boxing champion, Golden Gloves of South Africa has the right to choose who and where to fight.

Actually, I and my brothers were planning a non-title fight for Edrin in the Philippines prior to his first title defense but this plan will have to be shelved because of the scheduled championship fight.

Dapudong who went home to M’lang yesterday will now have only two weeks to rest before he goes back to training in Angono, Rizal under the supervision of veteran trainer Aljo Jaro.

Source: Manny Piñol