Nkosinathi Joyi insists that his shocking knockout loss to Filipino journeyman Rey Loreto was due to his unfitness and not to the prowess of his opponent.
Joyi will get a chance to avenge his upset loss when he collides with Loreto in an IBO junior-flyweight title rematch at Mdantsane Indoor Centre on Sunday.
Joyi is so confident of turning the tables that he has since reunited with his childhood trainer Boy Boy Mpulampula from whom he split after his win over another Filipino Benezer Alolod.
He joined Gert Strydom in Johannesburg but the relationship hit a snag when Joyi was reportedly grossly overweight before his clash against Loreto.
“I was unfit before the fight and you will believe the diet I was subjected to,” Joyi recalled.
He said he used to take different trains to go to training while in Johannesburg and that affected his preparations.
“ I do not want to sound like I am making excuses for the loss because Loreto caught me with a good punch which would have felled any junior-flyweight boxer.
“But you need to adequately prepare for such eventuality in the ring and had I been in my top condition I would have probably seen the punch coming.”
Joyi argues that despite being 31 years old he still has plenty of boxing left in his body.
This is backed by Mpulampula, who says the Mdantsane southpaw has shown signs of being best to his best.
“This is the Nkosinathi I know and everything is back to normal now,” said Mpulampula.
“I am happy with his mental, physical as well as technical condition.”
To underline Joyi’s readiness whose weight struggle before the first Loreto fight took everyone by surprise, Joyi easily scaled 50kg at yesterday’s premedical of the fight.
Mpulampula says his charge was 49kg on Wednesday and the extra kilo would not be hard to shed before tomorrow’s final weigh-in.
“As you can see Nkosinathi’s weight is under control and like you said it was weird that he could be associated with weight struggle given his history of being underweight even when he was fighting in the mini-flyweight division.”
Joyi will be looking to return to winning ways and breath life into his fledging career which has seen him losing three of his last five bouts.
However an argument can be made for his two other losses to Hekkie Budler and Michael Rodriguez when he quit in the seventh round due to excessive heat in Mexico to surrender his IBF mini-flyweight belt.
Mamali Promotions boss Siphatho Handi, who will present the fight, says Joyi should use the opportunity to relaunch his career.
The tournament will also see Mfusi Maxhayi defend his WBF International bantamweight crown against Mxolisi Nombembe from Johannesburg.
Joyi vows he will not be sucker-punched – again
Joyi will get a chance to avenge his upset loss when he collides with Loreto in an IBO junior-flyweight title rematch at Mdantsane Indoor Centre on Sunday.
Joyi is so confident of turning the tables that he has since reunited with his childhood trainer Boy Boy Mpulampula from whom he split after his win over another Filipino Benezer Alolod.
He joined Gert Strydom in Johannesburg but the relationship hit a snag when Joyi was reportedly grossly overweight before his clash against Loreto.
“I was unfit before the fight and you will believe the diet I was subjected to,” Joyi recalled.
He said he used to take different trains to go to training while in Johannesburg and that affected his preparations.
“ I do not want to sound like I am making excuses for the loss because Loreto caught me with a good punch which would have felled any junior-flyweight boxer.
“But you need to adequately prepare for such eventuality in the ring and had I been in my top condition I would have probably seen the punch coming.”
Joyi argues that despite being 31 years old he still has plenty of boxing left in his body.
This is backed by Mpulampula, who says the Mdantsane southpaw has shown signs of being best to his best.
“This is the Nkosinathi I know and everything is back to normal now,” said Mpulampula.
“I am happy with his mental, physical as well as technical condition.”
To underline Joyi’s readiness whose weight struggle before the first Loreto fight took everyone by surprise, Joyi easily scaled 50kg at yesterday’s premedical of the fight.
Mpulampula says his charge was 49kg on Wednesday and the extra kilo would not be hard to shed before tomorrow’s final weigh-in.
“As you can see Nkosinathi’s weight is under control and like you said it was weird that he could be associated with weight struggle given his history of being underweight even when he was fighting in the mini-flyweight division.”
Joyi will be looking to return to winning ways and breath life into his fledging career which has seen him losing three of his last five bouts.
However an argument can be made for his two other losses to Hekkie Budler and Michael Rodriguez when he quit in the seventh round due to excessive heat in Mexico to surrender his IBF mini-flyweight belt.
Mamali Promotions boss Siphatho Handi, who will present the fight, says Joyi should use the opportunity to relaunch his career.
The tournament will also see Mfusi Maxhayi defend his WBF International bantamweight crown against Mxolisi Nombembe from Johannesburg.
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