Sivenathi Nontshinga Outclasses Regie Suganob To Retain IBF Title
Fighting in front of an adoring and boisterous home crowd at the International Convention Centre in East London, South Africa, IBF junior flyweight champion Sivenathi “The Special One” Nontshinga (12-0, 9 KOs) wanted to impress. He did that in successfully defending the title with a unanimous decision (116-111, 116-111, 117-110) victory over Filipino mandatory challenger Regie Suganob (13-1, 4 KOs).
GOT IT GOING EARLY
Nontshinga was sharp from the opening bell. With ten seconds to go in the first round, he put Suganob on the deck with a straight right hand. The challenger was able to get up no the worse for wear.
Nontshinga has an excellent jab and used that punch and his foot movement to keep Suganob at bay. Suganob tried to press the action but his attacks proved futile as the South African was able to consistently land with quick counterpunches to the head and the body.
IN COMPLETE CONTROL
In the middle rounds, Nontshinga continued to box and Suganob kept applying pressure. But The Special One avoided the shots with ease and at times, made the Filipino look silly. After the champion took the ninth round off, he went back to work in the tenth and the eleventh. Clearly feeling he had the fight in hand, Nontshinga played to the chanting home crowd in the last twenty seconds of the final round.
It was a comprehensive performance from Nontshinga, who showed his class and quality. Afterward, the 24-year-old said his goal is to unify and take over the junior flyweight division.
