Baloyi, Ndou to bring the roof down

The long wait is over. The country can brace itself for a much-sought after bout when two local reigning world champions face each other in November.

The air was thick with tension when World Boxing Union junior lightweight champion, Phillip "Time Bomb" Ndou, and WBU feather champ, Cassius "Hitman" Baloyi's November 3 bout was announced.

It will be staged at Carnival City's Big Top Arena and an excited Sun International's general manager Stuart Shaw said: "The magnitude of this fight is going to bring the roof down."

Rodney Berman, boss of Golden Gloves Promotions, said although no title will be at stake, "it is the biggest domestic fight".

Likening it to the super bouts between heavyweights, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, middleweights Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns, and the coming middleweight unification bout between Bernard Hopkins and Felix Trinidad, Berman said this catchweight bout will be over the 12 rounds.

Robin Kempthorne, SuperSport's head of productions, said the fight would be shown on M-Net, ensuring it reached a wider audience.

To maintain neutrality, Berman said two European judges would flown out. He also intends selling the bout in Europe because of its international appeal.

WBU rules state that in the event of their champion losing a bout, he automatically loses his title. That ruling alone besides the under-current rivalry existing between the camps has added needle to a bout both fighters agree "will prove who is the best".

"When my trainer (Nick Durandt) told me the fight was on, I was excited," said the outspoken Ndou. "As an amateur I always wanted to fight Cassius. There's been a lot of talk about who is the best. I'm going to stop him and inflict him with his first defeat."

At 24 Ndou has a 24-1 record. All his wins are within the distance.

Baloyi, an unbeaten former WBU junior feather champion and with as many wins as his 26 years (14 stoppages), has not lost a bout - and he doesn't intend to, come fight night.

"I was happy when my trainer (Brian Mitchell) told me the fight is on because so much has been said about Phillip. I'm a cleverer boxer than him and will prove I'm the best," said the laid back Baloyi fresh from stopping Argentinean challenger, Jorge Paredes on a knockout in the seventh of a scheduled 12 rounds bout at the Carousel last Wednesday.

Durandt, who once trained both Baloyi and Ndou and has been clamouring for the bout since Baloyi left him almost four years ago, said besides the money both fighters will gain from this bout, pride will also be at stake.

"We are fighting to please the promoter, the public and to prove who is the best," said Durandt, convinced that he knows Baloyi well enough to form the right strategy for Ndou to beat him. "You can't take a fighter and give him a facelift. He will always have some of his old habits."

Mitchell, under whom Baloyi has had five world title defences, said his charge is now more positive.

"I was in Anton Gilmour's corner when Baloyi defended against him. Cassius was negative at the time. He is now positive. He moved forward and used his leverage. He is a boxer/puncher who will prove he is the best," said Mitchell.