By Monwabisi Jimlongo
Following the upgrading of his fight from just a mere 10 rounds bout to an eliminator for the number two spot on the International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight ratings, Lerato ‘Lights Out’ Dlamini is understandable happy with the latest developments.
Dlamini is now scheduled to face off against Japanese boxer Tomoki Kameda at the Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday, 7 October.
“It’s good that the fight has been upgraded, I’m very happy. This is a big opportunity. This means a lot to me. It also means that I will get closer to challenging for the world title should I win this fight,” Dlamini said.
Currently, the 29-year-old Welkom-born Dlamini is rated eighth by the IBF while Kameda is three places above him.
Kameda is a formidable opponent, who is a former World Boxing Organisation (WBO) bantamweight champion with 40 wins (22 stoppages) and three defeats compared to Dlamini’s record of 19 victories (11 knockouts) and two losses.
“I have seen four clips of him. He’s a very strong fighter, he has quick hands. He’s comfortable coming forward. He’s got lots of experience,” Dlamini remarked before flying out of South Africa for Japan on Friday morning.
Meanwhile, this fight is going to be promoted by Koki Kameda’s Kameda Promotions where unbeaten Japanese boxer Yudai Shigeoka fights against IBF minimumweight champion Panya Pradabsri also known as Petchmanee CP Freshmart from Thailand.
The 26-year-old Shigeoka has stopped five of his seven victims while Pradabsri is a veteran of 40 wins with 24 knockouts and a loss.
