Blow by blow

Boxing Mecca

Yanga Sigqibo will finally receive his dues if he convincingly beats Nicaraguan Keyvin Lara at the Orient Theatre on Friday.

While there is no question about Sigqibo’s talent, there is however, a feeling that so far he has not achieved that much to warrant the level where his promoters are placing him.

Some detractors are even questioning his eighth rating by the IBF, feeling it is generous owing to the absence of big names in his fight record.

Beating Sabelo Ngebiyana, who still disputes the loss, and Filipino Rene Dacquel, who some consider unlucky to lose a split decision, hardly sends shivers down the spine of his peers.

In 13 bouts he has lost once and drawn once with just three stoppages. He is the product of the Ben Mtyaliselo boxing school of excellence but is yet to demonstrate traits of stardom. His promoters, Xaba Promotions, who are renowned for touting their stars even before they achieve something, disagree.

“Sigqibo is currently rated eighth by the IBF and that says something,” promotion said. “Next year he is going to challenge for the major world title.”

That is not a foregone conclusion as he is faced with the danger from Nicaragua, a country renowned for producing world conquering boxers.

Nicaragua is the land of Alexis Arguello who is considered one the legendary boxing champions ever to grace a ring.

The country also churned out Roman Gonzalez, who moved to the top of the mythical pound for pound ratings after winning world titles in three weight divisions.

The last time a Nicaraguan boxer came to the country, he left tears streaming down the cheeks of boxing fans.

This was when Nicaraguan Bryon Rojas upset our own Hekkie Budler to take the WBA super crown and IBO juniorflyweight diadem in 2016.

Like Lara, Rojas did not bring a scary looking fight record but proved much more adept in the ring than Budler who was a proven world-class campaigner.

But Sigqibo is yet to prove his world-class credentials.

In fact he could still be cementing his status at the national level if he did not have ambitious promoters behind him. A glance at Lara’s fight record shows that the only defeat he suffered besides the one in his professional debut was against Japanese Kazuto Ioka in a WBA flyweight title challenge.

Ioka’s reputation is wellknown after he won three world titles in three weight division and is now going for the fourth one when he battles Filipino Donnie Nietes for the vacant WBO junior-bantamweight crown on December 31. Losing to Ioka is nothing to be ashamed of, especially as Lara has since compiled an eight-bout winning streak to take his fight record to 29 bouts and a draw with just two losses.