Lamati in quest for another world title against Filipino foe
Mdantsane boxer returning to ring in featherweight debut on Thursday
This helped us to focus more on polishing technique because physical fitness was already there
Fights are coming thick and fast for former world champion Ludumo Lamati as the Mdantsane boxer returns to the ring in a new division in Durban on Thursday.
Fresh from beating tough Filipino Ken Jordan in his juniorfeatherweight farewell bout last month, Lamati will be back in the ring against yet another Filipino boxer Mark Anthony Geraldo in his featherweight debut on Thursday.
With bouts suddenly coming in droves following a period of brief inactivity due to his acrimonious split from Golden Gloves, Lamati has no time to rest as he chases yet another world title next year.
The split saw him relinquishing his IBO crown.
Already commanding lofty ratings in world sanctioning bodies, the Johannesburgbased boxer wants to carry his ranking to the featherweight division where he hopes to challenge for a world title.
“I have already discussed with my management team to speak to the world bodies which ranked me in the junior-featherweight to carry my rating to the new division,” he said.
“This means I have to keep winning so that everything falls into place.”
Lamati said he was grateful to be returning to the ring within a month of his last bout as that helped sharpen his skills.
“I did not start afresh to train but just continued where I left off when I was preparing for the bout against Jordan.
“This helped us to focus more on polishing technique because physical fitness was already there.”
Trained by former SA champion Phumzile Matyhila, Lamati, whose talent-influenced pundits have identified him as a future world champion, is confident of fulfilling that potential.
However, at 30 he knows that time is not on his side and so he is in a race against the clock to get in as many bouts as possible.
Already his next bout is scheduled for February 2023 after which he is hoping to get a title eliminator.
However, he will need to get past Geraldo first who has 11 losses but has shared the ring with the best in the business.
The 31-year-old Filipino has wealth of experience gained from his 52 bouts which include duels against such word class boxers as Takuma Inoue (former WBC title contender), Nordine Oubaali (former WBC bantamweight champ), Mcjoe Arroyo, Jerwin Ancajas (former IBF champ), Arthur Villanueva (Zolani Tete’s opponent) and a whole lot more.
This has not been lost on Lamati, who knows that he will need to be at his best to outwit the visiting boxer to keep his world title aspirations alive.
“We have already designed a fight strategy with my coach and all I will do is implement it,” he said.
“I know it will not be easy but if we have any hope of getting a world title shot this is the type of boxer one has to beat.”
The fight will form part of ESPN Africa’s televised show also featuring Kwabhaca boxer Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni taking on Thai Apinun Khongsong in a crucial junior-welterweight clash.