Golden Gloves dishes up a festival of boxing

By Rynhardt Kuhn
26th March 2026

Golden Gloves director Nivi Grogor anticipates a legendary night of boxing at Emperors Palace when some of the best local fighters take to the ring this Saturday.

At the heart of the storm is the highly anticipated trilogy between Brandon Thysse and Roarke Knapp with their rivalry currently deadlocked at one win apiece, the stakes have never been higher.

The victor will not only claim the South African and WBC Africa junior middleweight titles but will also walk away with the lion's share of a historic R1.2 million prize pot.

The tournament marks a strategic evolution for the promotion. Under the fresh influence of co-owner Nivi Grogor, Golden Gloves is leveraging technology and digital media to catapult South African boxing into a new tier of professionalism.

"I think we are the biggest promoter in Africa, undoubtedly," Grogor noted during the pre-fight press conference. "Golden Gloves has always been the trendsetter... what we will do now is just use the tools and focus on technology to catapult us a little bit forward."

READ: Roarke Knapp razor sharp for Brandon Thysse trilogy decider

Legendary promoter, Rodney Berman, a veteran of the sport, shared Grogor's enthusiasm, highlighting the upcoming three-month schedule as a landmark period for the sport.

"I believe the next three months we have lined up will excite all boxing fans," Berman remarked.

"It is without doubt the greatest festival of boxing that I can remember... and what lies ahead with the WBC is unreal."

The undercard offers its own brand of high-stakes drama, most notably a rare "family clash" for the SA light-heavyweight title.

First cousins Bryan and Gerhard Thysse will step into the ring against one another—a spectacle Berman described as "extraordinary", noting that such a family matchup will go down in history.