Shock as Nontshinga loses world title by knockout

SA’s sporting euphoria suffered a dampener when Sivenathi Nontshinga, the country’s lone mainstream world boxing champion, lost his title in an upset in Monte Carlo on Saturday night.

East London sporting fans woke up to the shocking news of their hero’s defeat on the same day they welcomed the victorious Springboks for their Rugby World Cup trophy tour.

This after Nontshinga was knocked out cold in the second round by unheralded Mexican Adrian Curiel Dominguez to surrender his IBF junior-flyweight title.

The loss has been described as one of the biggest upsets of the year.

The previously unbeaten East London boxer had been a big favourite to register a second successful defence of the crown he won by beating another Mexican, Hector Flores, in his backyard in September 2022.

That feat so impressed top British promoter Eddie Hearn that he signed Nontshinga as part of his Matchroom Boxing roster with big-money fights on the horizon.

After making his first title defence at home beating Filipino Regie Suganob in July, Nontshinga made his debut fight for his new promoter against what was meant to be a relatively soft opponent in Curiel, who came into the fight with a modest four stoppages in 24 wins and four losses.

The bout was meant to serve as a precursor to a unification clash against Japanese Kenshiro Teraj, who holds the WBA and WBC titles in the division, with international media reporting that the deal was in the pipeline.

However, Curiel spoiled those plans when he delivered a Hail Mary right hand to turn the lights out on the previously unbeaten star.

Nontshinga, whose fight strategy against Suganob was based on excessive lateral movement, was moving to the left while flicking out a left jab.

Curiel, who must have meticulously studied Nontshinga’s tendency to drop his guard when throwing a jab, countered with a monster right hand that poleaxed the champion and left him sprawled on the canvas on his back.

The referee did not bother to count as the fight was waved off.

It was a bitter loss for Nontshinga as it robbed the country of its lone world boxing champion, adding yet another blow to the stuttering sport.

Opinions differed on Nontshinga’s loss, with some pundits attributing it to the SA fighter underestimating Curiel and focusing on the talk of a big-money unification clash.

The boxer’s social schedule was also busy as he had been invited to do motivational talks, including by PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns, whose jersey he wore at the weigh-in.

The loss, his first in 13 bouts, should serve as a wake-up call for the East London fighter who, at just 24 years old, has good prospects of rebuilding his career.