By Monwabisi Jimlongo
Reigning world champion Sivenathi ‘Special One’ Nontshinga is going to remain in the Highveld until a few days before his fight against Regie ‘Filipino Phenom’ Suganob from the Philippines.
This was disclosed by Nontshinga’s trainer Colin ‘Nomakanjani’ Nathan ahead of the boxer’s first defence of his International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior-flyweight title at the East London International Convention Centre (ICC) on Sunday, 2 July.
“We will probably come down to East London for the pre-medical. I wanna keep Sivenathi here as long as he can. I wanna keep him at high altitude,” award-winning Nathan said.
Nathan added that the 24-year-old Nontshinga, who won the IBF title by a split decision during his fight against Mexican boxer Hector Flores in Hermosillo, Mexico, in September last year, is not even going to attend the South African Boxing Awards ceremony in Durban where he’s in line to win the Male Boxer of the Year award.
“That’s not gonna happen. I can’t let him go to Durban. There’s to much at stake. He’s not gonna be having any late nights. If he wins, then they can do a virtual call,” Nathan, who has been nominated for the Manager of the Year award, said.
Unbeaten Nontshinga will enter the ring with an unblemished record of 11 victories with nine of those wins coming via the short distance. On the other hand, the 25-year-old Suganob, who is also unbeaten, has stopped four of his 13 victims.
