Sivenathi Nontshinga will as soon as once more hit the street for a title combat.
The Ring’s No. 2-rated junior flyweight dangers his IBF belt versus former WBC titlist Masamichi Yabuki. The scheduled twelve-round bout will headline an Oct. 12 ABEMA-TV stream from Sky Expo in Tokoname, Aichi, Japan.
South Africa’s Nontshinga (13-1, 10 knockouts) will combat outdoors his house nation—and continent—for the fourth time in 5 ring appearances.
The 25-year-old from Jap Cape twice gained the IBF belt on the street, each events happening in Mexico. He defeated Tijuana’s Hector Flores (20-0-4, 10 KOs on the time) of their Sept. 2022 Struggle of the Yr contender in Hermosillo, Mexico. One profitable protection adopted, a factors win over Regie Suganob (13-0 on the time) in S. Africa.
Nontshinga’s reign led to a surprising first-round knockout defeat to Mexico’s drian Curiel (24-6-1, 5 KOs) final Nov. 4 in Monte Carlo. He then traveled to Curiel’s house nation for his or her Feb. 16 rematch. Nontshinga rallied in a tenth-round knockout to regain his title.
Efforts had been made to unify versus then RING/WBA/WBC champion Kenshiro Teraji (23-1, 14 KOs) and then-WBO titlist Jonathan ‘Bomba’ Gonzalez (28-3-1, 14 KOs). Each avenues had been explored as Nontshinga was ordered to face necessary challenger Christian Araneta.
These efforts show futile, although oddly all three—Nontshinga, Teraji and Gonzalez–combat on consecutive days in Japan. Teraji faces Nicaragua’s Cristofer Rosales (38-6, 22 KOs) for the vacant WBC flyweight title on Oct. 13 at Ariake Enviornment in Tokyo. One evening later on the similar venue, Gonzalez challenges WBO flyweight titlist Anthony Olascuaga (7-1, 5 KOs).
If nothing else, Nontshinga can journey throughout nation to absorb the motion, assuming he prevails in his title protection.
Yabuki (16-4, 15 KOs), No. 6 at 108, authored one of many greatest upsets of 2021 in his lone profession title win.
The hard-hitting junior flyweight from Nagoya, Aichi dethroned Teraji through tenth-round stoppage of their Sept. 2021 thriller. His reign was short-lived, as Teraji emphatically avenged the defeat in a March 2022 third-round knockout.
Three wins have adopted for Yabuki, all inside the space. In his most up-to-date begin, the 32-year-old knockout artist halted Nicargua’s Kevin Vivas (7-3, 2 KOs) within the fourth spherical of their March 16 conflict in Nagoya.
All 4 of Yabuki’s defeats have come versus former, current or future titleholders—Teraji, Daniel Matellon, Seigo Akui and Junto Nakatani.
Jake Donovan is a senior author for The Ring.
Observe @JakeNDaBox
