WBF champ Bonokoane to nab WBO belt

Thato “Captain Charisma” Bonokoane is stepping up in his boxing career by challenging for the WBO Africa junior featherweight title.

Right now he holds the WBF belt. The title Bonokoane will fight for against Fillipus “Energy” Nghitumbwa in Windhoek, Namibia, on December 2 paved the way for Zolani “Last Born” Tete to challenge for the actual WBO belt, which he won in 2017.

Bonokoane’s trainer Charity Mukondeleli said they signed the contract with promoter Nestor Tobias on Friday last week.

“This is a big fight for Thato and I believe it is a step in the right direction for him because a win here will open doors for him,” said Mukondeleli, who made it clear that the promise made by promoter Hlula Dladla to defend the WBF was not worth waiting for.

Bonokoane, from Kagiso, has not fought since October last year when he won the WBF belt.

“I am so happy and excited about the upcoming fight,” said the former Gauteng champion, who credited WBF president Howard Goldberg for the chances he gave him to fight for his organisation.

“I won the WBF Africa and Intercontinental titles; he wanted me me to defend my title under Dladla (Hlula) on December 9,  which was not a problem. I asked what next after that defence and they could not tell me, so I opted for the WBO fight in Namibia.

“It is time for me to try get into other world bodies because I am not going to be in boxing for long; I have just graduated as an IT specialist and I know I am a smart boy. I need all my faculties in order – two years in boxing and I’m gone.”