For Lerato ‘Lights Out’ Dlamini, winning his next fight, which is against Thai boxer Sukpraserd Ponpitak, would be much appreciated as he makes a ring return at the Carnival City in Brakpan on Saturday, 24 May almost year since he donned his gloves in a competitive fight.
Dlamini will be fighting for the first time since his points loss to Japanese boxer Tomoki Kameda in an International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight elimination bout in Japan last August. The Welkom-born Dlamini has declared has readiness for the fight even though he has admitted that Ponpitak is a closed book to him.
“I don’t know him except that his record shows that he’s been around. He’s an experienced boxer,” the former World Boxing Council (WBC) International and Silver featherweight champion said.
“I need to win this fight as my goal is to remain in the ratings. I have had the best camp, preparing for this fight. And I want to move up the ratings. Currently, I’m ninth in the IBF.”
Dlamini, a former IBF Youth featherweight titlist, has a record of 20 victories with 11 knockouts and three losses while Ponphitak has 31 wins with 21 stoppages and 22 losses.
The 37-year-old Ponphitak has been stopped a record 10 times in his 16-year career as a professional boxer. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
