Ndongeni feels connection he shares with trainer is effective in preparations for fights

Former IBO champion boxer Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni says the chemistry – intense feelings of connection and passion that he shares with boxing trainer Mzamo “Chief” Njekanye – is such that their long-distance training is equally effective as when they are together in his preparations for fights.

Ndongeni was responding to a question about the influence Njekanye will have in his corner for a 10-round fight against highly-rated American WBO Inter-Continental junior welterweight champ Arnold Barboza Junior at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas on Sunday morning.

That is because Ndongeni trained for the fight in Johannesburg without Njekanye who only joined the boxer in Las Vegas on Wednesday. Ndongeni flew alone to Miami last week where he wrapped up his preparations before proceeding to Las Vegas.

“We share a very strong chemistry,” said Ndongeni on Thursday. “We talk every day about my training; he knows everything that I do.

“Chief knows me more than anyone [trainer] I have met; there is nothing he does not know about my training schedule. Chief is where I draw my strength from and his presence in my corner makes up for everything.”

Ndongeni and Njekanye are both from Duncan Village near East London but Ndongeni is based in Johannesburg. Sometimes Ndongeni flies to the Eastern Cape to be with his long-time trainer before a boxing match or Njekanye will fly to Johannesburg.

Njekanye converted the aspirant rugby player to boxing and together they won the SA title in two-weight divisions and the IBO and WBF International belt.

Ndongeni remained undefeated after 17 fights before he left Njekanye for Colin Nathan in Johannesburg where he won the WBA Pan African belt and the IBO title.

He rejoined Njekanye in 2020 after a stint with Sean Smith who helped him win the WBF belt in 2018 before Ndongeni lost to Devin Haney for the WBC and WBO Inter-Continental belt in 2019.

The SA boxer will face the highly-rated Barboza Junior who is rated No 5 in the World by BoxRec.Com. Barboza from California in the US has won all his 28 fights with 10 of those victories coming via the short distance.

Ndongeni is rated No 60. He is an experienced and capable campaigner with 31 wins and 18 knockouts with three losses.

Barboza’s last fight was in February last year when he successfully retained the WBO Inter-Continental belt on points against Jose Pedraza while Ndongeni last fought in Nicaragua on July 8 when he dropped a points decision over 10 rounds to Ernesto Mercado.

The fight on Sunday will be promoted by Golden Boy Promotions of former eight-time world boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya. It will be broadcast live in over 200 countries by DAZN which is a British over-the-top sports streaming and entertainment platform.