Colin Nathan allayed fears of the fight public that Sivenathi Nontshinga could be facing health challenges associated to breathing as he did not have enough time to acclimatise in Mexico where the weather is warm despite the fact that it is autumn.
Notshinga is in that country to try and win the IBF junior flyweight boxing title. Nontshinga will oppose Hector Flores for the vacant junior flyweight belt. Their fight will take place in Mexico on Sunday morning. Nontshinga, Nathan, the boxer’s father Thembani Gophen and Siya Zingelwa arrived in Mexico on Tuesday.
Sowetan spoke to a medical doctor about the effect of acclimatisation. He said oxygen, which is the fuel that human beings use to perform, is carried by red blood cells
“You must have noticed that boxers coming from the coast to fight in Johannesburg struggle with breathing; this has to do with an altitude ability of red cells to transport oxygen; as fights progresses they struggle. Now Nontshinga left here where it is winter to a country where it is warm. The body is definitely going to face some trouble because I don’t think he would have had enough time to acclimatise; time zones is going to affect him but it will also depend on that country’s altitude.”
But Nathan who has travelled different parts of the world with fighters said: “Obviously it's a major time difference; but we settled in nicely, his weight is really good, weather is good, nice and hot. Our advantage is that we’ve come here on fight week. We’ve also been training at high altitude in Johannesburg.
"We had good sparring. Our plan is to obviously dominate; it’s more of a situation of what we are worried about, what we are going to do as opposed to what Flores is going to do. We expect a tough fight but if Sivenathi follows my game plan and executes it into perfection he will be champion of the world – come Saturday night.”
Nontshinga, 23, is undefeated after 10 fights while 29-year-old Flores is also yet to taste defeat after 24 fights.
Nathan allays health hurdles for Nontshinga
Boxer in Mexico for title fight
Image: Supplied
Colin Nathan allayed fears of the fight public that Sivenathi Nontshinga could be facing health challenges associated to breathing as he did not have enough time to acclimatise in Mexico where the weather is warm despite the fact that it is autumn.
Notshinga is in that country to try and win the IBF junior flyweight boxing title. Nontshinga will oppose Hector Flores for the vacant junior flyweight belt. Their fight will take place in Mexico on Sunday morning. Nontshinga, Nathan, the boxer’s father Thembani Gophen and Siya Zingelwa arrived in Mexico on Tuesday.
Sowetan spoke to a medical doctor about the effect of acclimatisation. He said oxygen, which is the fuel that human beings use to perform, is carried by red blood cells
“You must have noticed that boxers coming from the coast to fight in Johannesburg struggle with breathing; this has to do with an altitude ability of red cells to transport oxygen; as fights progresses they struggle. Now Nontshinga left here where it is winter to a country where it is warm. The body is definitely going to face some trouble because I don’t think he would have had enough time to acclimatise; time zones is going to affect him but it will also depend on that country’s altitude.”
But Nathan who has travelled different parts of the world with fighters said: “Obviously it's a major time difference; but we settled in nicely, his weight is really good, weather is good, nice and hot. Our advantage is that we’ve come here on fight week. We’ve also been training at high altitude in Johannesburg.
"We had good sparring. Our plan is to obviously dominate; it’s more of a situation of what we are worried about, what we are going to do as opposed to what Flores is going to do. We expect a tough fight but if Sivenathi follows my game plan and executes it into perfection he will be champion of the world – come Saturday night.”
Nontshinga, 23, is undefeated after 10 fights while 29-year-old Flores is also yet to taste defeat after 24 fights.
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