Nqothole Eyes World Title Shot as Bulls and Stormers March On, Magesi Boost Survival Hopes
South African sport delivered another action-packed weekend, with a boxing breakthrough on the international stage, two local rugby powerhouses booking places in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship semi-finals, and Magesi FC taking a major step toward preserving their PSL status.
Here are today’s top stories:
- Sikho Nqothole Moves Closer to World Title Opportunity
South African boxer Sikho Nqothole produced the standout performance of his career after defeating former WBC flyweight world champion Charlie Edwards in the United Kingdom.
The victory, achieved over 12 rounds at York Hall, earned Nqothole a unanimous decision and elevated him to the number one contender position in the IBF junior bantamweight rankings.
Nqothole’s sharp jab and effective power punching proved too much for Edwards throughout the contest. The result places Nqothole in line for a potential world title opportunity against the winner of the upcoming IBF championship bout between reigning champion Willibaldo Garcia and Andrew Moloney.
Elsewhere, Kevin Lerena suffered disappointment in Belgium after losing his WBC bridgerweight title to Ryad Merhy. The Belgian secured a points victory to avenge his defeat to Lerena three years ago.
- Bulls and Stormers Reach URC Semi-Finals
South African rugby will have two representatives in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship semi-finals after the Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers secured convincing quarter-final victories.
The Bulls delivered an impressive display in Pretoria, overpowering Munster 45-14 to book a semi-final showdown against Glasgow Warriors in Edinburgh.
Meanwhile, the Stormers thrilled their home supporters in Cape Town with a 44-21 victory over Cardiff, setting up a challenging trip to Dublin where they will face Irish giants Leinster.
The only disappointment for South Africa came in Dublin, where the Fidelity Securedrive Lions saw their campaign end in a heavy 59-10 defeat to Leinster. Despite the result, the Johannesburg side can take pride in reaching the URC playoffs for the first time.
Upcoming semi-final fixtures:
Glasgow Warriors vs Vodacom Bulls
Leinster vs DHL Stormers
- Magesi FC Take Control of PSL Promotion/Relegation Play-Offs
Magesi FC boosted their chances of retaining top-flight status after securing a crucial 2-0 victory over Cape Town City in the PSL promotion/relegation play-offs.
Mcedi Vandala opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the first half before Edmore Chirambadare doubled the advantage after the break.
Cape Town City struggled to create meaningful opportunities throughout the encounter and ended the match with ten players following a late red card shown to Kayden Francis.
The result sees Magesi move to the top of the play-off standings with three points and a healthy goal difference advantage, while City remain rooted to the bottom after suffering consecutive defeats.
With several matches still to be played, the battle for a place in next season’s Betway Premiership remains finely balanced.