By Monwabisi Jimlongo
Unbeaten adversaries Sivenathi ‘Special One’ Nontshinga and Regie ‘Filipino Phenom’ Suganob are going to meet for the first time on Thursday, just three days before they trade blows inside the ring.
International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior-flyweight champion Nontshinga and Suganob from the Philippines will share the same room during a pre-fight medical check-up in East London.
The two boxers are set to face off at the East London International Convention Centre (ICC) as Nontshinga will be out to make a successful first defence of his title. Nontshinga, who is 24 years old, won the IBF title when he handed Mexican boxer Hector Flores his first loss in Hermosillo, Mexico, in September last year.
“Sive will land in East London on Thursday for the premed. I told you that I wanted to keep him here as long as I can,” Nontshinga’s award-winning trainer Colin ‘Nomakanjani’ Nathan said from Johannesburg.
The 25-year-old Suganob from Bohol arrived in East London on Monday evening together with head coach Edsel Burlas, head trainer Niñolito Jalnaiz, assistant trainer Edito Villamor and PMI Bohol Boxing Promotions boss Froziely Podot.
“The fact that the Filipinos have arrived is good. It’s close to fight time now. All my focus is on Sive performing and winning. His weight is unbelievable. I’m really impressed with him, he’s such a real professional. He is ready. I have seen that the spark in his eyes is the same as the one I saw when we were in Mexico,” Nathan remarked.
Nontshinga has won all his 11 fights with nine of those victories coming from knockouts while his Boholano opponent is unbeaten in 13 bouts and has stopped four of his opponents.
