Boxers enticed with trip to US tournament
Buthelezi calm about Ponteras
Top boxing promoter Ayanda Matiti has dangled the carrot in front of Gideon “Hard Core” Buthelezi, Ludumo “9mm” Lamati, Uyanda “Big Bear” Nogogo and Sikho “Sequence” Nqothole to win their fights on July 28 and be on the flight to the US for more action on September 21.
Buthelezi will headline that bill with the third defence of his International Boxing Organisation junior bantamweight belt against Ryan Rey Ponteras from the Philippines while Lamati will welcome Colombian Luis Melendez for a vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) Continental featherweight belt.
Nogogo and Nqothole will be involved in non-title fights. Mzuvukile “Old Bones” Magwaca will face Yesner Talavera from Nicaragua for another vacant IBF regional title in the bantamweight class.
Siphamandla Baleni will make his voluntary defence of the SA mini flyweight title against Bangile Nyanga.
“I have made myself clear to Gideon, Ludumo, Nogogo and Sikho that there is a tournament in the USA on September 21. Whoever wins on July 28 will feature on September 21,” said Matiti yesterday.
Buthelezi’s trainer Elias “Mr Fantastic” Tshabalala said they will need just a few opening rounds to get an idea of what Ponteras is made of.
“We could not get Ponteras’s footage on YouTube, but we are not worried at all because we are professionals at what we do. I tell you now after one or two rounds we will be on song,” said Tshabalala.
Nogogo from Mdantsane looked impressive in his points win against Faraday Mukandila at Turffontein where Johannesburg-based Nqothole, also from Mdantsane, stopped Sandile Kukame.
Lamati is fresh from winning the SA featherweight belt from Bongani Mahlangu while Magwaca from the Western Cape last fought in March when he won the World Boxing Federation bantamweight belt.
We could not get Ponteras’s footage, but we are not worried at all because we are professionals