By Monwabisi Jimlongo
There seems to be uncertainty regarding Azinga Fuzile’s much-talked about International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior-lightweight eliminator against Japanese boxer Kenichi Ogawa.
The uncertainty comes after the IBF released the latest junior-lightweight ratings with Fuzile not appearing in the top 15
rated boxers in the division. This is so even though Fuzile, who is promoted by Rumble Africa Promotions (RAP), spent the better part of 2020 occupying fourth spot on the ratings.
‘‘This could be an oversight because I still have a letter with us engaging in the eliminator. Let me make a call on this,’’ Fuzile’s trainer Colin Nathan, who doubles up as RAP’s international adviser, said when Ink Sport called him.
The 24-year-old Fuzile turned down an opportunity to face current International Boxing Organisation (IBO) junior-lightweight champion Michael Magnesi in Italy as he was said to be looking at fighting
Ogawa. Magnesi is now going to defend his title against Fuzile’s Hot Box Gym stablemate Khanyile Bulana.
Fuzile has not fought since he was stopped by Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov from Tajikistan in an elimination bout at the Orient Theatre in East London in September 2019.
Ogawa, on the other hand, only fought once last year when beating his compatriot Kazuhiro Nishitani in October and he kept his number three rating throughout 2020.
Meanwhile, unbeaten Sivenathi ‘Special One’ Nontshinga is now going to face Filipino boxer Christian Araneta in an IBF junior-flyweight elimination bout.
This follows after Mexican boxer Abraham Rodriguez decided against taking the chance to face the 22-year-old Nontshinga as per the IBF’s order.
The winner of the Nontshinga-Araneta bout will challenge reigning IBF junior-flyweight champion Felix Alvarado from Nicaragua. Alvarado stopped South African boxer DeeJay Kriel in a recent fight.
