By Monwabisi Jimlongo
New faces are going to man Xolisani ‘Nomeva’ Ndongeni’s corner when he clashes against unbeaten American boxer Raymond ‘Danger’ Muratalla at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday (early Saturday morning, South African time).
Ndongeni’s trainer Mzamo ‘Chief’ Njekanye has not travelled to the US for the KwaBhaca-born boxer’s fight. Even his manager Elliott Amoakoh, the boss at Nova Sport, who is based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), won’t attend the tournament.
With Njekanye being absent from his corner, Ndongeni will be ushered into war by Reniel Aponte and Michael Robles from KO Fitness Gym in Miami.
“He’s not coming to the fight because of a few issues. Even my manager is also not coming. I’m going to have coaches from here who will be in my corner,” the 33-year-old Ndongeni remarked.
On the fight itself, Ndongeni said: “I know that Muratalla is a very good boxer. But the thing is that he has not fought against stronger boxers. The only serious and tough opponents he faced were in his last two fights. I’m a big boy and I’m going to have an advantage over him. I believe I can beat him,” Ndongeni said.
Ndongeni has won 31 fights with 18 of those wins coming from stoppages and he lost four times. On the other hand, the 27-year-old Muratalla from Arizona is the reigning World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Global lightweight champion, who has stopped 16 of his 19 victims.
