Rose can still bloom again, if he trains hard

The American connections of former three-time world champion Dingaan Thobela still think he has something to offer despite his eighth-round technical knockout by World Boxing Council super-middleweight champion Eric Lucas.

Lucas, making a mandatory defence of the vacant belt he won by knocking out Glen Catley in the seventh round in July, stopped The Rose of Soweto in Canada on Friday night.

Trainer Elias Tshabalala said Thobela has no intention of retiring. Instead, the former World Boxing Organisation and World Boxing Association lightweight and former World Boxing Council super-middleweight champion will be back in the ring in an effort to win a fourth world title.

"We have been offered a bout against a big name fighter at either super-middle or middleweight division," disclosed Tshabalala, who, as expected, refused to name the fighter until the deal was signed, sealed and delivered.

Meanwhile, the Americans want Thobela to do his workout at the famous Big Bear training camp in California 10 weeks before the bout so they can monitor his progress.

"They are of the opinion that there are too many distractions for Dingaan at home to really concentrate on boxing," said Tshabalala.

"Despite the critics, Dingaan has to retire as an undefeated world champion," added Tshabalala.

Incidentally, Thobela was two pounds - about one kilogram - over the limit at the official weigh-in of the Lucas bout.

Reports indicated that he made the 76,2kg limit after sweating it out for one hour - WBC rules allow a fighter ninety minutes in which to reduce - and Tshabalala claims the reduction of weight contributed to Thobela's defeat.

The "Rose" is notorious for taking to the ring in what reports have described as "flabby condition".

And Tshabalala's claim that they were unable to train properly in Canada because they were offered the same gym as Lucas will be taken with a pinch of salt by boxing fans.

The stringent conditions attached to Thobela's next bout ought to benefit him. While he has the skill to dazzle, he has been his own worst enemy by not training seriously.