Floats Like A Butterfly Stings Like $25 Million

It could become one of the biggest fights in African history – another Rumble in the Jungle before thousands in a stadium. Bad news is government first has to cover the $25-million purse. At the center of it all is an African boxer licking his wounds.

- Thobile Hans

American boxing manager, Peter Kahn, has been busy trying to find a bigname opponent for his South African boxer to fight on home soil. On July 2, the Miami-based promoter will be in Brisbane, Australia, to solicit a fight with the winner of the bout between Manny Pacquiao and Jeff Horn.

His boxer, Chris van Heerden, born in Johannesburg and fighting out of Santa Monica, California, was convinced the fight against the Filipino Pacquiao, planned for November, was on the cards after his camp approached the office of the former minister of sports, Fikile Mbalula, late last year. But since Mbalula is no longer sports minister, things have been sketchy.

Boxing South Africa (BSA), the sport’s national body, says it is open to the fight but needs Kahn to make the first step.

“They must contact the [sport] department so that they can advise with authority on this issue,” says BSA Chief Executive Officer, Tsholofelo Lejaka. “Boxing SA remains open and willing to discuss with any role-player who seek to develop or promote our sport of boxing.”

In a telephone interview, Kahn says he is still determined to bring one of the biggest fights in African history to the FNB stadium in Johannesburg. He says it can be organized if the government covers the estimated $25 million purse. The country last hosted big names 17 years ago in Brakpan, Johannesburg. In a shock, Lennox Lewis lost his world heavyweight title to Hasim Rahman.

“Unless South Africa is willing to work with Chris, like other countries do with their boxers, it is not going to happen, but we would like to bring Chris home,” says Kahn.