Ludumo Lamati’s credentials as a future world champion will finally be put through an acid test when he faces Luthando Mbumbulwana at Mdant-sane Indoor Centre tomorrow.
Lamati is a former amateur champion having won numerous medals before deciding to turn professional under the tutelage of Nick Durandt in Johannesburg.
That decision left a sour taste in the mouths of local trainers who feel they could have done a better job to develop him into a star.
But he proved his mettle under Durandt, chalking up seven wins and a draw in a fight against Cebo Ngema, which was meant to be his opportunity to sell him to top Johannesburg promoter Rodney Berman.
The indifferent performance left Berman unimpressed, forcing Lamati to do more to prove himself.
The lacklustre draw left detractors wondering if his voting as the prospect of the year was deserved.
Now he has left Durandt to join another Mdantsane boxer, Thulani Mbenge at Sean Smith, under who he will have his first fight against Mbumbulwana.
Mbumbulwana is a useful Mthatha-born boxer who promised plenty but failed to deliver when handed a chance against then reigning SA junior-featherweight champion Siviwe Hasheni.
Mbumbulwana then dumped trainer Vido Madikane just before his clash against former stablemate Mfusi Maxhayi, who beat him by a split decision in a good scrap.
The two losses are the only blemishes in his fight record, having rebounded with good wins going into tomorrow’s clash.
A tough southpaw whose mistake is the lack of work ethic, Mbumbulwana is blessed with good boxing technique to push Lamati to the limit.
The tournament, originally scheduled to be held at NU10 Mdantsane hall, will be topped by the junior-featherweight crossroads clash between former champion Hasheni and once promising star Siphosethu Mvula.
Mvula will be fighting for the first time since getting stopped in 11 rounds by Toto Helebe in only three of his defeats, the third one being suffered at the hands of Unathi Gqokoma.
A former SA junior-bantamweight champion, Mvula has all the qualities to go far in boxing, but his lack of proper development has stunted his evolution.
He was rushed to a title fight when he had just seven fights and had not beaten a rated boxer.
His approval invoked protest in certain boxing circles as some claimed that he benefited because of his association with a Boxing SA board member.
Although he won the title when he beat Gqokoma in a fight which could have gone either way, he never parlayed such victory into bigger things.
He may still be good enough to see off Hasheni, who last fought when he surrendered his title to Bongani Mahlangu via a brutal eight-round stoppage defeat more than a year ago.
The show by Rumble Africa Promotions will feature eight other potentially exciting bouts, including the appearance of fast rising star Azinga Fuzile.
Lamati must show he has that deadly punch
Lamati is a former amateur champion having won numerous medals before deciding to turn professional under the tutelage of Nick Durandt in Johannesburg.
That decision left a sour taste in the mouths of local trainers who feel they could have done a better job to develop him into a star.
But he proved his mettle under Durandt, chalking up seven wins and a draw in a fight against Cebo Ngema, which was meant to be his opportunity to sell him to top Johannesburg promoter Rodney Berman.
The indifferent performance left Berman unimpressed, forcing Lamati to do more to prove himself.
The lacklustre draw left detractors wondering if his voting as the prospect of the year was deserved.
Now he has left Durandt to join another Mdantsane boxer, Thulani Mbenge at Sean Smith, under who he will have his first fight against Mbumbulwana.
Mbumbulwana is a useful Mthatha-born boxer who promised plenty but failed to deliver when handed a chance against then reigning SA junior-featherweight champion Siviwe Hasheni.
Mbumbulwana then dumped trainer Vido Madikane just before his clash against former stablemate Mfusi Maxhayi, who beat him by a split decision in a good scrap.
The two losses are the only blemishes in his fight record, having rebounded with good wins going into tomorrow’s clash.
A tough southpaw whose mistake is the lack of work ethic, Mbumbulwana is blessed with good boxing technique to push Lamati to the limit.
The tournament, originally scheduled to be held at NU10 Mdantsane hall, will be topped by the junior-featherweight crossroads clash between former champion Hasheni and once promising star Siphosethu Mvula.
Mvula will be fighting for the first time since getting stopped in 11 rounds by Toto Helebe in only three of his defeats, the third one being suffered at the hands of Unathi Gqokoma.
A former SA junior-bantamweight champion, Mvula has all the qualities to go far in boxing, but his lack of proper development has stunted his evolution.
He was rushed to a title fight when he had just seven fights and had not beaten a rated boxer.
His approval invoked protest in certain boxing circles as some claimed that he benefited because of his association with a Boxing SA board member.
Although he won the title when he beat Gqokoma in a fight which could have gone either way, he never parlayed such victory into bigger things.
He may still be good enough to see off Hasheni, who last fought when he surrendered his title to Bongani Mahlangu via a brutal eight-round stoppage defeat more than a year ago.
The show by Rumble Africa Promotions will feature eight other potentially exciting bouts, including the appearance of fast rising star Azinga Fuzile.
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