Filipino boxer Lito ‘Naruto’ Dante will make his third visit to South Africa as he will be fighting against Nhlanhla ‘Mount Kilimanjaro’ Tyirha at the East London International Convention Centre (ICC) on Friday, 16 June.
Dante, a World Boxing Federation (WBF) International minimumweight champion, will square up against Tyirha in a vacant World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Intercontinental junior-flyweight title fight.
Initially, Tyirha was scheduled to clash with Miel Fajardo from the Philippines, but the opponent was changed as the Filipino was deemed to be too dangerous.
Dante is yet to win on South African soil as he lost to former International Boxing Organisation (IBO) minimumweight titlist Simphiwe Konkco at the Emperors Palace in Kempton Park in June 2017. Before that, the 33-year-old Dante from Bohol was outpointed by Siyabonga Siyo at the Orient Theatre in East London in August 2014.
The experienced Dante has won 20 fights (12 stoppages), lost 11 times and registered four draws compared to Tyirha who has eight wins (two knockouts) and a loss.
