From the Supersport Zone: Francois Botha beat Australian Bob Mirovic on points over 12 rounds to win the World Boxing Foundation interim heavyweight title at the Carousel, near Pretoria, on Friday night. The South African veteran made a winning return to the ring after a five-year absence when judges Eddie Marshall and Simphiwe Mbini scored the bout 119-109 and 120-108 and Rassie Erasmus made it 120-107. It was a relatively easy victory for the White Buffalo who looked in good physical shape and dictated from the third round onwards. It took Botha (117.04 kg) two rounds to get rid of the ring rust after his long inactivity but a series of overhand rights and a steady barrage of body blows had Mirovic (120.38 kg) on the receiving end for the rest of the fight. The big visitor showed tremendous strength in absorbing the blows but he was never able to get the upper hand. Referee Wally Snowball cautioned Botha for low blows and Mirovic, 41, for holding and hitting, and headbutting. After the bout, the 38-year-old Botha announced that his next fight was likely to be in Durban later this year against the former world title contender Andrew Golota. On the same card, two fights for WBF international titles ended in the second round. Cruiserweight Zack Mwekassa beat his Congo Republic opponent Gino Betoko who retired in the second round and featherweight Wonga Mhlana from East London knocked out veteran Mkhusile Kondile. The prospect of the year, Bongani Mwelase, returned to his normal welterweight division to knock out eighth-ranked junior middleweight Johannes Pieterson in the second round. Yanga Tetani, another East London visitor, beat Michael Sangweni on points in a six-rounder. Before the tournament, World Sports Promotions chief Thinus Strydom said Francois Botha was on track for a crack at Wladimir Klitschko’s WBO heavyweight title. He also announced that Thomas Mashaba would defend his IBO featherweight title at Emperors Palace on September 1 against an opponent whose name must still be announced.
