Nontshinga on verge of bringing a real world title home
Pugilist ‘not called Special One for nothing’
Image: Fredlin Adriaan
If past achievements during September by SA’s old-time greatest fighters – Gerrie Coeztee, Brian Mitchell and Dingaan Thobela – are anything to go by, then this country should produce another world champion on September 3, when Sivenathi “Special One” Nontshinga opposes Hector “Baby Bull” Flores for the vacant IBF junior flyweight title in Mexico.
Coetzee became the first African to win a world heavyweight championship when he captured the WBA belt in 1983. Seven years later Thobela won the WBO lightweight belt and he added the WBC super-middleweight title to his collection in 2000.
The spotlight now falls on 23-year-old Nontshinga – the bright star from Chicken Farm in East London – who will be involved in what will be the biggest test of character as a fighter. That is not because 29-year-old Flores from Tijuana in Mexico is such a dangerous boxer, but it is simply because it will be Nontshinga’s first fight outside SA and also his first attempt at conquering the world.
Flores is a reasonably good boxer who is undefeated after 24 fights. Nontshinga, 23, is also undefeated. Nontshinga is ranked No1, two spots above Flores. The boxer and his management jet out to Mexico tomorrow.
Rumble Africa Promotion’s CEO Nomfesane Nyatela, whose company has been in charge of Nontshinga’s career, said: “After Moruti Mthalane, SA will have another legitimate world title holder. Sivenathi is not called the Special One for cheap publicity,” she said of the boxer who earned the rights to challenge for the title in April after winning the elimination fight in Gqeberha.
“He’s been waiting since and that time the title was held by Felix Alvarado. We would negotiate for their fight but not reach finality, until Alvarado vacated the title.
“We believe that Sivenathi’s patience will pay dividends. I want to assure South Africans that Rumbel is going to have a world champion.”
Alvarado, from Nicaragua, relinquished the title when he moved up the weight division. The last local to win a legitimate world title was Mthalane, who held the IBF flyweight title, which he lost in his fourth defence in April last year.