Malinga closes in on IBF title bout
by Ron Jackson 09 February 2012, 10:41
Former SA champion Vusi Malinga is set to fight for the vacant IBF bantamweight title soon.
Malinga and AJ Banal, a Filipino, will meet on a date and at a venue to be decided by their promoters within the next month.
If the promoters can’t come to an agreement, the fight will go to purse bids.
Malinga beat Michael Domingo, also from the Philippines, on points in a final eliminator in Mafikeng, now Mahikeng, on October 30, 2010.
The South African, whose record now stands at 20-3-1, with 12 knockouts, was due to challenge Abner Mares of Mexico for his title.
But Mares, who won the belt from Joseph Agbeko of Ghana in August last year, has relinquished the title.
Malinga and Mares were scheduled to meet on September 30 but the IBF ordered a rematch in December between Agbeko and the champion after their controversial first bout.
Malinga’s promoter, Branco Milenkovic, said this week Malinga had been subjected to a long wait. Mares had to fulfill his obligations or vacate the title. He chose to give up the belt.
The 23-year-old Alex John Banal, whose record stands at 26-1-1; 19, prefers to be known as AJ.
He may be an easier opponent than Mares, who is regarded as the No 1 bantamweight in the world.
Banal, a southpaw who is ranked No 3 by the IBF, suffered his only loss in July 2008 when he was knocked out in the tenth round by Rafael Concepcion in a bout for the interim WBA super-flyweight title.
Since then he has won nine fights; six inside the distance.
Banal is promoted by ALA Promotions in the Philippines, who also handle IBF mini-flyweight challenger Takayama Katsunari.
Nkosinathi Joyi, also promoted by Milenkovic, and Katsunari are likely to meet soon; in South Africa if Milenkovic succeeds with his plans.