By Monwabisi Jimlongo
With an opportunity to challenge for the World Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight title beckoning, Luis ‘Fletchita’ Castillo from Mexico has declared his readiness to fight against South African boxer Ayanda Ndulani in an elimination bout next month.
The two boxers are scheduled to square up against each other in a fight, which is set to be promoted by Mexican boxing promoter Alejandro Brito’s BXSTRS Promotions in Cancun, Mexico, on Wednesday, 17 May.
Initially, Castillo and Ndulani were scheduled to collide in Durban in February, but their fight, which was going to be promoted by Ayanda Matiti’s Xaba Promotions, got postponed after South African junior-bantamweight champion Landile Ngxeke fell ill.
Ngxeke was, at the time, due to clash against Filipino boxer Michael Mendoza in an International Boxing Organisation (IBO) Intercontinental junior-bantamweight title in the main bout of the tournament. Ngxeke’s fight against Mendoza, which he won by a unanimous decision, took place at the Orient Theatre in East London more than a week ago.
The fight between Castillo and Ndulani was dropped from the Xaba Promotions’ bill. This followed after Ndulani refused to leave his trainer Kholisile ‘KC’ Cengani and join Xaba Boxing Academy in Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape.
“I am ready to fight. We know he is a good fighter, but we are ready to fight against him,” Castillo, whose full name is Luis Angel Castillo Soto, declared from Mexico.
Even though the fight is going to be held in his home country, Castillo has refused to believe that he’s got an advantage over Ndulani, who is from Scenery Park in East London.
“There are no advantages for me. At the end of the day, those of us who are going to be in the ring are going to be just him and me,” the unbeaten Mexican said.
The winner of this bout is going to get an opportunity to challenge for the WBC minimumweight title, which is held by Thailand’s Panya Pradabsri, who is also known as Petchmanee CP Freshmart.
The 25-year-old Castillo has stopped 13 of his 20 victims with only one fight ending in a draw while Ndulani, the current IBO minimumweight titlist, has 13 victories (four knockouts), two defeats and a draw.
