May 11, 2004
Johannesburg, South Africa-Branco Milenkovic, an influential South African promoter, has announced that he will stage a long-awaited WBC 130-pound eliminator between top ranked Mzonke Fana (21-2, 8 KOs) and #2 Randy Suico (21-0, 18 KOs) to decide the official challenger against the current WBC ruler Erik Morales in Johannesburg, SA on May 28. It will take place on the WBCfs order in the last Moscow Convention at the Orland Community Hall, where many local aficionados will watch the competitive fight. Suico, managed by Joe Koizumi and under the promotional agreement of Japanese don Akihiko Honda of Teiken Promotions, has been strenuously training at Teiken Gym in Tokyo since May 4. The unbeaten Filipino will leave Japan for Johannesburg on this coming May 18 after he takes the South African visa here in Tokyo. Fana, however, is a preflight favorite due to his superior speed and busier hands, plus his local advantage. The WBC 12-round eliminator has produced a great sensation in South Africa, since Fana, the brightest prospect ouf of his country, received the most prestigious state president award last year. It is also a confrontation of the WBC international champ Fana and the OPBF titlist Suico.
(5-10-04)