×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

I will beat this boy

20090622AMU/SPORT/BOXING . Nkosinathi " Mabere " Joyi and Florante " The Little Pacquiao " Condes during the press conference at SABC ,Johannesburg for their IBF World Mini Flyweight Mandatory Eliminatory in East London , Eantern Cape. PIC : ANTONIO MUCHAVE. 22/06/2009. © SOWETAN.
20090622AMU/SPORT/BOXING . Nkosinathi " Mabere " Joyi and Florante " The Little Pacquiao " Condes during the press conference at SABC ,Johannesburg for their IBF World Mini Flyweight Mandatory Eliminatory in East London , Eantern Cape. PIC : ANTONIO MUCHAVE. 22/06/2009. © SOWETAN.

NKOSINATHI "Mabere" Joyi came face to face with Florante Condes at a media briefing yesterday and was not intimidated by the Filipino.

NKOSINATHI "Mabere" Joyi came face to face with Florante Condes at a media briefing yesterday and was not intimidated by the Filipino.

"His manager or trainer is talking about how well prepared they are but I just want to make it clear that I will beat this boy," Joyi said, to laughter from the media. "I will stop him in any round."

Joyi, arguably the best mini flyweight fighter in the past decade to be produced here, added that the fight on Friday night, which will be televised live on SABC's Blow by Blow at 10pm, was the biggest for him.

The soft-spoken fighter, who possesses crippling power in both hands, will oppose the baby-faced Filipino for their division's number-one spot in the International Boxing Federation rankings.

The belt is held by Raul Garcia who won it from Condes in June last year. Joyi is ranked third, a spot above fourth-placed Condes.

Condes won the title from Mohamed Rachman in July 2007, a fight in which he earned the nickname "Little Pacquiao" from Indonesian admirers.

They likened him to his homeboy, Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao, the world's best pound-for-pound fighter. Pacquiao rose to stardom at the expense of Lehlohonolo "Hands of Stone" Ledwaba, stopping Ledwaba in seven rounds for the IBF junior featherweight belt on June 23 2001.

Since then Pacquiao has won WBO junior featherweight, IBF featherweight, WBC junior lightweight and WBC lightweight belts.

Two recent victories were against Oscar de la Hoya and Ricky Hatton.

Joyi and Condes are both left-handers. Joyi has 15 stoppages and Condes has 20.

Their fight will top the Branco Sports Productions bill at the Orient Theatre in East London.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.