Lerato Dlamini plans to seal World Title shot with ‘Lights Out’ performance

By Rynhardt Kuhn
6th May 2026

IBF Contender Lerato Dlamini believes he is in the prime of his career before facing Mikito Nakano in a 10-round bout in Tokyo later today.

The Bloemfontein-born boxer is seeking to become the first World Champion from that province, but first he needs to get past Mikito Nakano in order to land a title shot against the current IBF Featherweight Champion, Angelo Leo.

“Lights Out” Dlamini says his training camp was smooth.

"Preparation has been going very well, I feel like I'm better than I was last year. Everything, like the work ethic, the way that I've been sparring, I feel like I've matured a bit. I'm in my prime now, I'm 32, so I'm in the prime years of my life and my career," Dlamini said.

Dlamini will have trainer/manager Colin Nathan, assistant trainer Sean Ness, and cut man Bernie Pailman in his corner after a rather long absence from the ring.

The 32-year-old says Nakano’s style is nothing new for him.

"He is a boxer puncher, he slips in his punches you know. I've watched a few of his clips and I can't really reveal much but there's nothing new that he's gonna show me,” he added.

“I'm used to that style, well I won't say used to that style but I've fought that kind of style before and I've always come up on top."

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Nakano boasts a record of 14 wins, 13 knockouts with only one loss against his name, Dlamini on the other hand has 21 wins and three losses to date.

It won’t be Dlamini’s first rodeo in Japan either, seeing that he fought in the land of the rising sun in 2023 and 2024.

The fight will take place at Korakuen Hall in Bunkyo, Tokyo. Victory will so to say guarantee Dlamini a title shot, but it won’t be easy against a hard punching and determined foe.