Eastern Cape boxers led by former two-time world champion Sivenathi Nontshinga hardly raised a sweat when they easily dispatched their opponents early in their bouts at Box Camp Booysens in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Nontshinga returned to the ring from a year of inactivity to easily stop overmatched Tanzanian Sunday Kiwale in the second round of their catchweight clash staged to help him retain his IBF rating in the junior-flyweight division.
Nontshinga was in danger of being removed from the ratings because of inactivity, having not fought since he surrendered his IBF junior-flyweight title to Japanese Masamichi Yabuki via a ninth-round stoppage in Japan in October 2024.
However, him facing Kiwale, whose credentials were questionable, was frowned upon even though the Tanzanian was a last-minute replacement.
Kiwale was fighting against an Eastern Cape boxer for the second time in a row, having lost a points decision to Nhlanhla Tyirha in East London three months ago.
Though he went the distance with Tyirha, he surrendered meekly against Nontshinga without being hit by a big punch.
Nontshinga landed a cuffing right on the side of Kiwale’s head, and the Tanzanian folded on the ropes for the full count.
Kiwale replaced Namibian Jonas Erastus, who withdrew due to a training injury.
However, securing Kiwale as a replacement was questioned due to the Tanzanian journeyman’s record of 17 losses and five draws with just 20 wins, having not beaten an opponent with a winning record in a while.
Among the critics of Tanzanian opponents was Mthatha boxer Sikho Nqothole, who also easily brushed aside Halid Kalama in a junior-bantamweight clash.
Nqothole dismissed the Tanzanian before their clash, accusing him of taking the fight only for a payday.
And his view proved valid when Kalama hardly put up a fight, leading to a third-round stoppage loss.
Nqothole had pleaded to be matched against quality opponents as he seeks to move up the ratings and boost his quest for a world title shot.
“I hope after this fight I will be matched against someone with a pulse so that I can move up the ratings,” he said.
Nqothole’s homeboy, Frank Sotomela, also had a short night when he blew away Trevor Nghonyama in two rounds of their flyweight duel.
A left hook put Nghonyama down, and he seemed to miscalculate the count as he got up after the fight had been stopped.
Daily Dispatch