By Monwabisi Jimlongo
A new COVID-19 variant – B.1.1.529 dubbed Omicron by the World Health Organisation (WHO) – which was detected in South Africa and in many other countries last week has brought doubts on Sivenathi ‘Special One’ Nontshinga’s chances of fighting for a world title this year.
Nontshinga, who turns 23 on Friday, is scheduled to challenge International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior-flyweight champion Felix Alvarado from Nicaragua at the T & T Centre in San Antonio, Texas, in the United States, on Saturday, 18 December (Sunday, 19 December, South African time).
But Nontshinga’s travel to America is in doubt now after US President Joe Biden announced that his country was restricting travel from South Africa and several other African countries.
“What I can tell you is that it looks like the fight is going to be shifted,” Rumble Africa Promotions international adviser Colin ‘Nomakanjani’ Nathan said.
“I got correspondence from Golden Boy Promotions. Obviously, as you know that South Africans are not permitted to fly to the United States. I just need to jump to the IBF to get clarity. This is beyond a boxing injury. It’s a global pandemic.”
The unbeaten Nontshinga earned the right to challenge Alvarado after he outpointed Filipino boxer Christian ‘The Bomb’ Araneta during their fight in Gqeberha in April.
