By Monwabisi Jimlongo
Eastern Cape boxer Ayanda Ndulani and his trainer Kholisile ‘KC’ Cengani are grateful to Johannesburg-based Colin ‘Nomakanjani’ Nathan for the role he played in helping them secure a fight date with Luis Castillo from Mexico.
The well-connected Nathan, who is both a boxing trainer and boxer’s manager, chipped in to help Ndulani after the current International Boxing Organisation (IBO) minimumweight champion was released from his promotional contract by Zbashy Promotions boss Sibongile Matiti last month.
Now Ndulani is set to face off with Castillo in a World Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight elimination bout, which is going to be promoted by Mexican Alejandro Brito’s BXSTRS Promotions in Cancun, Mexico, on Wednesday, 17 May.
Initially, Castillo and Ndulani were scheduled to trade blows in Durban in February, but their fight, which was going to be promoted by Ayanda Matiti’s Xaba Promotions, got postponed after reigning South African junior-bantamweight champion Laandile Ngxeke was diagnosed with bronchitis.
Ngxeke’s illness forced the postponement of the tournament because his clash against Filipino boxer Michael Mendoza in an IBO Intercontinental junior-bantamweight title was the main bout. Ngxeke’s fight against Mendoza, which he won by a unanimous points decision, took place at the Orient Theatre in East London last Friday.
The fight between Castillo and Ndulani was later dropped from the Xaba Promotions’ bill after Ndulani refused to leave Cengani and join Xaba Boxing Academy in Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape.
“We now know where the fight is going to be held and that is good for our preparations. I’m very grateful to Colin for the role he played during our negotiations to ensure that we clinched this deal,” Ndulani, who is rated number one by the WBC, said.
Cengani said: “We are very happy that we have finally managed to get a date for the fight. Colin played a very big role in securing this deal. We are very much thankful to him for everything he has done for us.”
The winner of this bout is going to challenge for the WBC minimumweight title, which is held by Thailand-based boxer Panya Pradabsri also known as Petchmanee CP Freshmart.
The 31-year-old Ndulani from Scenery Park in East London is rated 14th by the World Boxing Association (WBA), fifth on the International Boxing Federation (IBF) ratings and is rated 10th by the World Boxing Organisation (WBO).
