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July 23 - While boxing fans usually go to watch a match in order to enjoy the
fighters, this weekend's ABU junior bantamweight championship might have a
different kind of fight going on out of the ring.
Two sworn enemies, the boxing trainers Nick Durandt and Emmanuel Fernandez,
are set to meet at the Carousel Casino in the North West province on Friday evening,
with their boxers vying for the vacant title.
The feud between Fernandez and Durant goes back many years, with many
previously believing that it was part of the marketing hype to get fans heated
up in time for boxing matches. However, things took an ugly turn when one of
Fernandez's key boxers, whom he groomed from the beginning of his career, left
to Durant's gym.
Fernandez trained Isaac "Angel" Hlatswayo from an amateur boxer to one one of
the greatest names in the industry, including taking the SA and IBO champion
title. When "Angel" moved over to Durant's gym, Fernandez almost ended his
boxing career, and turned any rumblings that he had with Durant into a full
blown war.
The fact that another of Fernandez's boxers, Malcom "the Stone" Klassen, has
recently left to Durant's gym has not helped matters.
This Friday night, Fernandez's Simon "The Cheetah" Ramoni and Durant's Lesley
Sekotswe will fight it out in the ring for the African Boxing Union junior
bantamweight title at the Carousel Casino. Matters could become even
more interesting because Fernandez's fighters have never lost a title to
Durant's men. However, the 34 year old Ramoni is clearly at the end of his
boxing career and this may just be the opportunity that Durant has been waiting
for.
"You cannot throw him out," said Fernandez about Ramoni, who has already won
this title in the past. "He has a puncher's chance and massive experience."
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