Two-time world champion, Sivenathi “Special One” Nontshinga, will begin his quest for a historic third world title when he faces Filipino Regie Suganob in an IBF junior flyweight title eliminator on a date and venue yet to be decided.
Nontshinga’s manager, Colin Nathan, confirmed this after receiving an order from the IBF for the two boxers to contest for the number one spot in the ratings.
“I received the email and order last night, and I am told the Suganob camp has accepted it. So have we,” he said. “When I informed Sive, he said yes off the bat and is very excited.”
The fight will serve as a rematch of their 2023 clash at the East London International Convention Centre, which Nontshinga won on points in his first IBF title defence after winning the belt with a gutsy display over Mexican Hector Flores in 2022.
Nontshinga was ordered by the IBF to honour his mandatory title defence against the Filipino when he wanted to engage in a unification clash.
He later ceded the belt to unheralded Mexican Adrian Curiel via a second-round knockout loss — his first professional defeat — in an upset in Monaco.
But the Johannesburg-based boxer turned the tables in the rematch, stopping Curiel in 10 rounds to regain the title and become one of South Africa’s few two-time world champion boxers.
Nontshinga surrendered the title via a ninth-round stoppage to heavy-handed Japanese Masamichi Yabuki in Tokoname in October 2024.
Nontshinga was subjected to long spells of inactivity which temporarily led to him being removed from the ratings until he took a stay-busy clash and easily knocked out hapless Tanzanian foe Sunday Kiwale in two rounds in November.
The win returned him to the fifth spot in the ratings, while Suganob, who has enjoyed a five-bout winning streak since his loss to Nontshinga, vaulted to the third spot, with first and second vacant.
My feeling is simple; we beat him before and we will beat him again, finished and klaar
— Colin Nathan
Suganob’s last fight was an eight-round stoppage win over Mthatha’s Siphamandla Baleni in February, when Baleni and his handlers were caught in the crossfire of the Middle East war on their way back home.
Since his loss to Nontshinga — which remains his lone blemish in 19 bouts — Suganob has been chasing for a rematch, and when the opportunity was presented to him he happily accepted.
But Nathan did not bat an eyelid when the rematch was offered, insisting his charge would beat the Filipino again.
“My feeling is simple; we beat him before and we will beat him again, finish and klaar.”
With the camps having been ordered to begin negotiations, it will be interesting if Nontshinga will be forced to go to the Philippines for the rematch, as he does not have a powerful promoter to back him, though Boxing5 staged his fight against Kiwale.
Nathan could only say he had an ace up his sleeve when asked if Nontshinga would be forced to give away home ground advantage.
Daily Dispatch
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