Sivenathi Nontshinga enjoys a hometown fight like any fighter, but thrives on the challenge of fighting in someone else’s hometown.
This will be the case on Saturday as Nontshinga, who is rated No. 2 by The Ring at 108 poundswill defend his IBF world junior flyweight title Masamichi Yabuki at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Japan, a suburb of Nagoya, where Yabuki lives.
At Friday’s weigh-in, Nontshinga weighed 107.3 pounds. Yabuki came in at 107.1 pounds.
Nontshinga (13-1, 10 knockouts), who lives in Reeston, South Africa, last fought on February 16, stopping Adrien Curiel in the 10th round and reclaiming the IBF world title belt. The win over Curiel was a rematch of their November 4 showdown, which Curiel won by knockout in the second round.
The 25-year-old won the vacant IBF title in September 2022, defeating Hector Flores Calixto by split decision. Both wins over Curiel and Flores took place in Mexico. Nontshinga will travel to foreign soil again to defend the title against Yabuki (16-4, 15 KOs), who rated number 6 by The Ring.
Nontshinga has no problem fighting in another fighter’s hometown and actually likes fighting in that environment.
“To be honest, I like it when I fight in these foreign countries or in the opponent’s backyards,” Nontshinga told The Ring on Wednesday. “They make me so much (much) better and more powerful and even (more) confident because at the end of the day, inside the square ring, it’s me and the boxer. Nobody else.”
Nontshinga is hoping to follow in the footsteps of some of the great boxing figures in South Africa, including former world title holders ‘Baby’ Jake Matlala, Gerrie Coetzee and Brian Mitchell. All three fighters suffered setbacks before winning a world title belt and leaving their mark on the sport.
Despite losing to Curiel in the first fight, Nontshinga bounced back to win back his world title belt. While he wants to create his own path in the sport, Nontshinga hopes to contribute to the great history of the sport in South Africa.
“I’ve learned that sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but the main reason is to learn and dust yourself off and pull your socks up,” says Nontshinga, who made his pro debut in East London in July 2017. South Africa made. It’s all a learning curve. Take it as a small setback for (a) big setback (or) for a big setback.
“To be mentioned together with the best from my country, it would simply mean a lot, because they are our icons.”
Nontshinga is trained and managed by Colin Nathan, who lives in Johannesburg and is well respected in boxing circles in South Africa and abroad. Nontshinga is grateful to have someone with Nathan’s pedigree in his corner.
“(Colin) is my everything man,” said Nontshinga. “(He played) a big role or role in my career. I am here because of him. I will always put respect on that man’s name. He changed my life and the lives of my family.”
A win over Yakubi could put Nontshinga on a path to unify against another world titleholder at 108 pounds. Nontshinga could face the winner of the October 13 showdown between Shokichi Iwata and Jairo Noriega, who will be up for the vacant WBO world junior flyweight title.
There is a possible showdown against Kenshiro Teraji, who is the Ring champion at 108 pounds.
Nontshinga wants to make a statement at the expense of Yakubi, and also prove he is the best fighter at 108 pounds.
“I will surprise the whole world and outsmart Yabuki, but believe me, the fight will end in (a) knockout in the later rounds.
“I think I’m one of the best junior flyweights and I have the tools to become the biggest.”
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached at (email protected)
