Ndongeni to headline Madiba gig
Centenary tourney books Soweto venue
Charming pugilist Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni has praised TLB Boxing Promotions for choosing him to headline its Madiba Centenary international boxing tournament in Soweto on Saturday night.
It is the first to take place at DOCC Hall in Orlando.
“They could have chosen any fighter. I am truly honoured,” said the WBF lightweight champion who will defend against Tanzanian Salumi Jengo in the main attraction.
Ndongeni, who is trained by Sean Smith in Johannesburg, has such an aura that has many-a-time enabled him to single-handedly fill to capacity boxing venues back home in Eastern Cape.
Joyce Kungwane, one of the TLB bosses, explained yesterday that they chose DOCC Hall because that is where Nelson Mandela took his mind off liberation politics and flexed his muscles as an aspirant boxer.
“I’ve been in the gym since I won the title,” said Ndongeni, who won the WBF title under TLB’s inaugural tournament in Pretoria in April.
“I need a very clean win. From what I saw of Jengo in a taped fight, there are too many chances of me knocking him out early.”
In another big fight, SA junior welterweight champion Xolani “Tiger” Mcotheli and Clement “Slow Poison” Kamanga will do battle for the vacant WBF Intercontinental vacant title in the main supporting bout.
Mcotheli is fresh from a sixth stoppage win over Warren Joubert in Pretoria.
Meanwhile, Kamanga, originally from Congo, is still basking in glory after his seventh-round stoppage of Tshifhiwa “Timer” Munyai in Seshego.
Two-times BSA female boxer award winner Bukiwe “Anaconda” Nonina will put her WBF bantamweight belt on the line against recently crowned WBF International champ Ellen “Tigress” Simwaka over 10 rounds.
Immanuel Mutavhatsindi trains Nonina while Simwaka from Malawi is trained in Edenglen by Rocky Weinstein.
Kungwane said action will begin at 7pm.