Nontshinga to face Suganob in IBF eliminator in the Philippines
South African boxer Sivenathi Nontshinga has arrived in the Philippines, where on Saturday evening he will face local fighter Regie Suganob in an IBF light flyweight eliminator. The winner of the bout will take the vacant No. 1 spot in the IBF rankings for the division and be well positioned for a fight against the organization’s champion, Thanongsak Simsri of Thailand.
As TimesLIVE reports, Suganob is ranked third in the division, one place ahead of Nontshinga. The South African is accompanied by his coach and manager Colin “Nomakandjani” Nathan, as well as assistant and cutman Bernie Pailman.
Preparation for the bout
After arriving, Nontshinga said the flight had been very long, but that he feels good. According to him, he was impressed by the atmosphere in the Philippines and the friendliness of the people. The boxer also said he was pleased with the food and his weight ahead of the fight.
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The bout will be Nontshinga’s second meeting with Suganob. On July 2, 2023, he successfully defended his title against the Filipino in the city of KuGompo, previously known as East London.
Previous title fights
Four months after defeating Suganob, Nontshinga lost his title after being beaten by Adrian Curiel in Monaco. In a rematch on November 16, 2024, in Mexico, he regained the belt, but eight months later lost the title to Masamichi Yabuki in Japan.
Boxing SA chief executive Tsolofelo Lejaka recalled that Nontshinga has already won outside South Africa: in 2022, he defeated Hector Flores in Mexico and won a world title at flyweight. Last November, Nontshinga defeated Tanzanian ring veteran Sunday Kiwale in the second round. Lejaka said the team is receiving updates on the athlete’s readiness for the fight in the Philippines.
