East London pugilists Siphenathi Nobanda and Avuyile Mphikwa will lock horns for the vacant Eastern Cape featherweight title over 10 rounds at Titi Jonas Community Hall in Port Alfred on Saturday.
The duo will headline Christopher Nomtoto’s Larenan Boxing Promotions bill in conjunction with the provincial department of sports, recreation, arts and culture as sponsors.
It is aimed at boxing development at the grass-roots level, a proud Nomtoto revealed of his second tournament sanctioned by the professional governing body, Boxing South Africa (BSA).
Nobanda of Amalinda has a professional record of nine fights, six wins with one stoppage and two losses, while Mphikwa from Duncan Village is unbeaten in three professional fights, two by way of knockout.
In the main supporting bout over six rounds in the mini-flyweight division, fireworks could be expected when a never-say-die Makhanda pugilist, Phumlani Maloni, faces an up-and-coming Sivenathi July from KwaNojoli.
With a record of 17 fights, seven wins, nine losses and a solitary draw, Maloni has fought against opposition in the division, while July, who is unbeaten in three fights with two KOs, is hoping to use him as a stepladder to a provincial title challenge.
In the next six bouts, Nomtoto has deliberately pitted four promising Ndlambe local municipality boxers against their equally talented neighbours from Makhanda local municipality, all over four rounds: Ayabulela Mngxuma will fight against Malibongwe Balakana (Makhanda) in the featherweight division; Masixole Tywabazayo (Makhanda) will lock horns against Siphosihle Mpolweni (Makhanda) in the bantamweight division; Siphosethu Qakamfana (Ndlambe) versus Abenathi Magoqoza (Mdantsane) in the flyweight division; Cwenga Tolana (Ndlambe) versus Thozama Tokota in the flyweight division; and in the first bout, Khayalethu Prince from Makhanda will face Sivenathi Adonisi from kuGompo.
“Larenan Boxing Promotions has taken a conscientious decision to unearth hidden talent from the rural areas. I hope boxing fans will come in droves to support their boxers showing their mettle in the ring,” said Nomtoto, who dedicated this tournament to his untimely departed friend, the former South African welterweight kingpin Linda “Black Mamba” Nondzaba, with whom he worked to groom amateur boxers in the mid-2000s.
Nceba Dladla
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