Sivenathi Nontshinga’s stunning win to regain the IBF junior-flyweight title in his rematch with previous conqueror Adrien Curiel in Mexico a fortnight ago has boxers around his weight class clamouring to face him.
And his English promoter, Eddie Hearn, is supporting one of them.
No sooner had Nontshinga scored a come-from-behind 10th-round stoppage victory than boxers, including recently dethroned IBF flyweight champion Sunny Edwards, jumped on the bandwagon expressing a desire to challenge him.
Edwards, who suffered his first professional loss when he was stopped in nine rounds by Jesse Rodriguez in an IBF and WBO title unification in December, ended Nontshinga’s stablemate Moruti Mthalane’s reign as the lone SA boxer holding a major world title when he dethroned him in April 2021.
The Englishman engaged in a heated debate with Filipino boxing legend Nonito Donaire shortly after Nontshinga’s historic win over Curiel.
While congratulating him, Edwards said he would be willing to drop down a division to junior flyweight for a bout against Nontshinga.
Donaire, who beat three SA boxers including Mthalane, objected, reminding Edwards that he should wait his turn, suggesting that next in line for Nontshinga should be his Filipino compatriot Christian Araneta, who won the mandatory elimination bout and is rated the top contender.
Nontshinga beat Araneta in a close fight in Gqeberha in April 2021.
However, Matchroom Boxing boss Hearn, who promotes Nontshinga and Edwards, fanned the flames when he said he was contemplating promoting a bout between the pair.
With Hearn expressing interest to match him against Edwards, it will be left to the IBF to either approve such a bout or demand he honours his mandatory obligations against Araneta
“I think Sunny talks about becoming a two-division world champion. He’s got a fight right there against Nontshinga,” he said.
“He could move down to light flyweight but it is tough. But him and Nontshinga is a big fight and is definitely one we could look to make in the summer.”
Should the fight materialise, it would turn back the clock to 2015, when another Briton, Paul Butler, tried to do the same against another East London world champion, Zolani Tete.
Butler, then an IBF bantamweight champion, moved down to the junior bantamweight to challenge Tete’s version of the title but was stopped in eight rounds.
The win vaulted Tete to fame and fortune and earned him a lucrative contract with another English promoter, Frank Warren.
Nontshinga is scheduled to return to the ring in June but no opponent has been confirmed yet.
However, with Hearn expressing interest to match him against Edwards, it will be left to the IBF to either approve such a bout or demand he honours his mandatory obligations against Araneta.
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