Mbenge returns to action after one year

South African welterweight champion Thulani Mbenge returns to action after being out of the ring for a year when he faces Idd Pialari from Tanzania at The Gallery in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Thursday 30 June.

One of South Africa’s most talented welterweights, Mbenge, was born in Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape and will celebrate his 31st birthday on 15 July.

Mbenge (18-1; 14) was an outstanding amateur before joining the professional ranks, winning the South African junior welterweight championships in 2010 and 2011, and a bronze medal at the 2012 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

He made his professional debut on 16 May 2015 and went on to win the South African, WBC International, and IBO welterweight titles.

The only loss on his record came against Sebastian Formella in July 2019 when he lost the IBO belt.

Since that loss he has won three in a row and should be too experienced for the 28-year-old Pialari (30-7-1; 21).

Pialari,28, made his pro debut in September 2009 and in his most recent fight on 20 February he won the vacant Universal Boxing Organisation and Tanzania Pugilistic Syndicate welterweight titles.

On the same card, Emmany Kalombo (15-1) from the DRC and Kenyan, Rayton Okwiri (7-01) meet, in a clash for the IBF International junior middleweight title.