By Monwabisi Jimlongo
That West Rand boxer Thato ‘Captain Charisma’ Bonokoane has been inactive for just over a year does not bother his trainer Charrit Mukondeleli.
Bonokoane, who faces Namibian boxer Fillipus ‘Energy’ Nghitumbwa in Windhoek on Saturday, will be fighting for the first time since October last year when the two fighters clash in a World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Africa junior-featherweight title contest in Windhoek.
“All is well. Thato is stil 33 years old, if he was 38 years old I was going to get worried. He looks good, he made his weight already, nothing to panic,” Mukondeleli said.
Bonokoane has not fought since he outpointed Diego Alberto Ruiz from Argentina in a World Boxing Federation (WBF) junior-featherweight title contest at the Feathermarket Theatre in Gqeberha in October last year.
Nghitumbwa’s last fight was a loss to Filipino boxer and former WBO bantamweight champion Johnriel Casimero in May this year. That was a WBO Global junior-featherweight title shootout in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Bonokoane is the second South African boxer to face off against the 28-year-old Nghitumbwa in just over a year.
Nghitumbwa stopped former South African junior-bantamweight titlist Sabelo Ngebiyana in the 11th round in October last year.
