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Go and bring that International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior bantamweight crown home to South Africa, says Boxing SA COO Mandla Ntlanganiso.
His message is directed to Sikho “Sequence” Nqothole, who is on the doorstep to challenge for that title now held by Willibaldo Garcia Perez.
Nqothole put himself in that position on Friday night by winning the elimination bout against Charlie Edwards at York Hall in the UK.
Nqothole — who went into that fight rated No 5, a spot above the Englishman — won the 12-round bout via a deserved unanimous points decision.
The three judges scored the one-sided fight 116-113, 116-112, and 117-111.
Thirty-one-year-old Nqothole — a former IBO All Africa and WBO Global champion from Mthatha — will challenge the victor of the fight between Perez from Mexico and Australian Andrew Moloney, who meet in Aichi, Japan, next Saturday.
Nqothole, who dished out a stupendous performance, was ushered to war by trainers Phumzile Mthyila and Bernie Pailman.
“The judges’ scores — 116-113, 116-112, and an emphatic 117-111 — tell the story of a fighter who was disciplined, composed, and utterly dominant,” said Ntlanganiso.
“You did not just win; you made a statement.
“The entire Umtata, the Eastern Cape, and the South African boxing fraternity watched with pride as you proved that hunger, preparation, and heart cannot be outmatched by any home advantage.
“Your next assignment: the IBF junior bantamweight world title shot.
“This is no longer a dream on the horizon. It is a reality standing directly in front of you.
“The title you are about to challenge for is one that has long been synonymous with the great pugilists of the Eastern Cape.
“Now it is your turn to add your name to that legendary sequence.
“Celebrate this win; you have earned it, but then refocus.
“Go back to what brought you here. The same hunger. The same discipline. The same relentless preparation.
“Do more. Dig deeper. The final step is always the hardest, but we have every belief that you have what it takes to climb that mountain.
“Congratulations again, Sequence. Boxing SA, the entire nation, and your proud province stand with you.
“Go and bring that IBF crown home.”
Pailman said Nqothole showed great maturity if one were to talk about the treatment they received there.
“We were training in the park, and a lot of things were just not right,” he said.
“We even did pad work in the park; the weather was hot, like 27°C. We did our workouts during the day.
“The less said about the dressing room, the better, but Sikho was focused — 100%.”
Nqothole has boxed professionally since 2017 and has chalked up 19 knockouts in 22 wins against three losses.
The fight will be part of a tournament to be streamed live by DAZN.
Sowetan