By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Despite Floyd Mayweather Jr’s insistence that he has retired from boxing and has no plans of returning to the ring particularly in a rematch with eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao, there are still persistent rumors if not hopes that a rematch would eventually happen.
The latest to express the hope that a Pacquiao-Mayweather rematch will eventually get done is Belgian actor, martial artist and director Jean-Claude Van Damme who is best known for a series of martial arts films including one of the earliest in Bloodsport (1988) and the latest The Expendables 2 (2012).
Well-known Australian promoter Peter Maniatis spoke to Van Damme, who has visited the Philippines in the past.
Van Damme, who is a fan of Pacquiao said he admired both Pacquiao and Mayweather as “warriors” and maintained that if Manny has no injuries “and is in better shape” it should be a great fight because Pacquiao “has so much heart.”
IN OTHER NEWS: Two World Boxing Federation (WBF) championships will be up for grabs when up-and-coming promoter Nicolas Vinet opens the doors for a stacked night of professional boxing at the Hall Omnisport in Rebecq, Belgium on Sunday September 11.
In a fight that promises to deliver fireworks, reigning Belgian national champion Cedric Tita, a hard-hitting 35-year-old Southpaw from Liege, will take on Polish-based Ukrainian banger Mykola Vovk for the vacant WBF Intercontinental Welterweight title.
A pro since 2004, Tita has blown hot and cold in the past and brings a somewhat misleading 8-8-1 (5) ledger, while Vovk (25) has only been punching for pay for little over year, but has been very active in building a fine 10-1 (7) record.
The co-featured attraction, another interesting and evenly-matched encounter, sees Matingu “Zulu King” Kindele (31) squaring off with Evariste Kabongo (32) from D.R. Congo, with the vacant WBF International Super Middleweight title on the line.
Kindele, who won the Belgian national Super Middleweight title last year, is 7-5 (3) in the professional ranks having lost to only good opposition. Kabongo is 9-8-3 (1) against equally tough foes, and has previously fought eight times in Belgium, where he is now based, since 2008.
Tita and Kindele may be considered the home-favourites, but the matchmaking in these bouts is such that it could go either way. Whatever happens, and whoever comes out on top, it is almost guaranteed to be an entertaining night for boxing fans attending.
