After opting out of an International Boxing Organisation (IBO) minimumweight title contest against Joey Canoy from the Philippines, Nhlanhla ‘Mount Kilimanjaro’ Tyirha has lined up a fight against yet another Filipino boxer Arnel ‘The Sniper’ Lofranco.
According to the International Boxing Federation (IBF) website, Tyirha is scheduled to clash with Lofranco in an IBF Intercontinental minimumweight title contest in Cape Town on Saturday, 6 December.
“The tournament is going ahead at the Kenilworth Racecourse on Saturday, 6 December. Tyirha will be fighting in an IBF Intercontinental bout,” Ground Up Sports Promotions boss Loyiso Magqaza confirmed.
Once rated in the top 15 in four of the world’s major boxing bodies, this fight is going to give Mdantsane-born Tyirha an opportunity to return to the ratings. The former South African junior-flyweight champion will take a record of 11 victories with two knockouts and three losses to the fight.
On the other hand, the 21-year-old Lofranco has eight wins with five stoppages and a loss. Lofranco from Tagaloan has won four and lost once in his last five fights.
Lofranco will try to succeed where his Filipino compatriots Orrie Silvestre, Esneth Domingo, Jaysever Abcede and Canoy have failed as they all lost their fights to Tyirha.
Meanwhile, Tyirha was highly rated by the top four world boxing bodies until he was stunned by Malawian journeyman George Kandulo at the East London International Convention Centre (ICC) early in July 2023.
Before losing by a sixth round stoppage to Kandulo, Tyirha was rated sixth by the World Boxing Council (WBC), 12th in the World Boxing Association (WBA) ratings, fifth by the IBF and was seventh in the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) ratings. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
