Lerato adds spark to featherweight division
THE featherweight division is fast becoming the best in the land in terms of talent, boasting revered fighters like Simpiwe Vetyeka, Lusanda Komanisi and Azinga Fuzile – just to mention but a few.
And there is another healthy addition in the form of Lerato Dlamini from the champion-churning Hot Box Gym of Colin Nathan.
Nathan has been telling anyone within earshot about the skills of Dlamini – but no-one took notice.
Dlamini has an amateur pedigree having won numerous medals at the continental championships, such as bagging the gold medal at the Zone Six event.
This all changed when Nathan, a brilliant fight strategist, accepted the fight for his charge against the marauding Capetonian, Sinethemba Bam, for the vacant IBF Youth crown in Mangaung a fortnight ago.
Bam was moving up a division from the junior featherweight, where he burst onto the scene with a sensational knockout defeat of Mdantsane’s Phila Gola – and repeated the feat with the IBF youth title at stake.
Clearly struggling to squeeze his bulk into the weight limit, Bam moved north to pursue the same title. He was favoured to win due to Dlamini’s unknown status who entered the bout with an odd defeat in six fights.
But Dlamini fought a disciplined fight, never deviating from Nathan’s instructions, until he turned off the lights with a seventh round icing of Bam to introduce himself to the boxing scene.
Nathan described the win as the best moment of his boxing career and that says something for someone who has produced numerous boxers and world champions, such as former undisputed mini-flyweight champion Hekkie Budler, IBO lightweight champion Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni, IBO mini-flyweight champion Simpiwe Konkco to mention but a few.
“This boy is going places mark my words,” enthused Nathan.
“He is probably the best talent in the land and I will make sure that he continues on the straight and narrow.”
Only 24 years old, Dlamini is looking to continue with his rich vein of form as one of the potential world champions with the youth title in his possession him with a launchpad.
While his name cannot be mentioned in the same bracket as Vetyeka and Fuzile there is no doubt he can be regarded as having similar potential.
“He is disciplined and listens to instructions and those are the hallmarks of someone who will go far in the game,” Nathan continued.
Incredibly Xaba Promotions and Events which gave him a chance against its client, Bam, did not insert a recruitment clause in the event Dlamini won the fight.
Now someone will benefit from XPE’s job of exposing Dlamini by signing him up.
“No we did not sign with XPE,” confirmed Nathan paving the way for any promoter to land the talented boxer.
With Nathan’s boxers all but fighting under Rodney Berman’s Golden Gloves Promotions, indications are that Dlamini will follow suit.
But wherever Dlamini goes from here he will be considered as yet another boxer capable of bringing the coveted world crown home. — Boxing Mecca Correspondent providing