EAST London promoter Thembalethu "Tarries" Ntuthu is making good on his promise to compete with the best by signing up some top boxing talent.

Yesterday, Ntuthu and associate Nick "Mthakathi" Durandt took the first step in that direction by signing fighters who will enable their Rumble Africa Promotions to stage tournaments as they wish as they will control the boxers.

The signed are IBO champions Moruti "Baby Face" Mthalane (flyweight), Lusanda "Mexican" Komanisi (junior featherweight), Deon Coetzee (SA cruiserweight champion), Thabo "Super Eagle" Sonjica (former SA and IBO undefeated super bantamweight holder), Sipho "Tsunami" Taliwe (former SA and WBC International junior lightweight champion) and hot prospect Ladumo Lamati.

Johannesburg-based trainer Durandt manages the fortunes of Mthalane, Komanisi, Lamati, Coetzee and Taliwe.

Only Sonjica is an outsider in terms of management. He is under the guidance of East London's Mlandeli Thengimfene, who is also responsible for the Tete brothers - "Last Born" Zolani (IBF junior bantamweight holder) and "Professor" Makazole (SA and WBA Pan African flyweight holder).

Ntuthu's charges all signed Boxing SA's one-year binding contracts, witnessed by the governing body's Gauteng manager Archie Nyingwa.

"I can even reveal our future plans now that we have fighters under our wing. Fortunately they are under Nick who forms a strong part of our company. We will have 10 major tournaments this year, and they will be held in East London, Gauteng and Durban," said Ntuthu, who is also the Amathole ANC regional secretary.

Durandt said he was highly excited about the future. He said Rumble Africa Promotions' vision was to have a stable of prospects while also taking current champions forward.

"We also plan to have four nursery tournaments with the sole purpose of building future champions," he said.