Nontshinga reflects on world title victory

Newly crowned IBF junior-flyweight world champion Sivenathi œSpecial One Nontshinga has reflected on his title victory and credited the work of Collin Nathan and his father in their preparations.

Nontshinga, who last weekend became the only credible world champion in South Africa after beating Mexican Hector Flores in his own backyard, says carrying this belt has always been a childhood dream of his.

"It feels great and I feel honoured to get this opportunity of being a reigning IBF Flywieght World Champion, it's a dream come true! I've been working so hard towards this dream since I was a little kid," he told SABC Sport.

"You know when you are young, you start in boxing and you want to be a world champion - here I am! It feels great, I feel happy, super excited. It wasn't easy at all, it was hard work.

"It was one hell of a fight but I was fit, I was ready. I worked so hard for this fight, I was in camp for a full six months, focussing on this fight. But I have to give Hector Flores credit, he's going to be the champion after me, for sure. He showed a heart of a lion and hunger but I was the better man on that night."

The 23-year-old made huge sacrifices ahead of the fight as he left his home in Chicken Farm near Mdantsane six months before the fight, to come and train in Johannesburg at the Hotbox Gym with Colin Nathan.

The renowned boxing trainer and manager played a big role in not only preparing Nontshinga, with the help of his father Thembani œBest Gopheni, for the title fight but also helping to broker the deal as his manager. 

"Remember, I've got Collin 'Nomakanjani' Nathan - that 'Nomakanjani' means that there's some Va Va Voom, some spike - he's the guy who went through different countries and got the victory," Nontshinga added.

"I've got my father, so together as a team we knew that we can do it because they kept on motivating me during camp, during the sparring sessions, during everything and through the whole journey, they were there for me.

"So, we just knew that we can do it, no matter what. We believed in our capabilities, we believed in ourselves. Because I'm a person who can listen to what you're saying and do it, so it was just [about] great communication and a little bit of a bond."

As far as his inspiration goes, Nontshinga credits the likes of Zolani Tete, Hekkie Budler and the late, great Gabula Vabaza.

"There are a lot of boxers I look up to, the likes of Zolani [Tete], Moruti [Mthalane], I'm talking about Hex [Hekkie Budler], 'Slashing Tiger' Vabaza - I'm a young person that always watches the old boxers, I learn a lot from those old boxers, who keep me going and keep me sane," he noted.

By Velile Mnyandu