Finally crowd favourite Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni will take his popularity to the US, where he will defend his IBO world lightweight crown in Las Vegas on August 5.
His opponent has not yet been chosen, but the fight will be Ndongeni’s first one abroad.
It will form part of a tournament promoted by Art Pelullo, a close ally of Ndongeni’s Johannesburg promoter, Rodney Berman.
Berman confirmed the fight is a done deal bar the finding of an opponent for Ndongeni. “Yes, Nomeva is fighting in Las Vegas and we are excited to unleash him to the boxing hotbed,” he said.
Ndongeni, whose fights are preceded by dramatic entrances amid cheering and the chanting of his trademark song, Nank’ uNomeva Yhee Nomeva (Here is the Wasp), is arguably the most charismatic boxer in the land at the moment.
His marketability will make him a boatload of cash if he keeps on winning. So far he has been able to walk the talk, having won all his 21 bouts, 11 via stoppages.
He was in action only a fortnight ago, when he needed just 60 seconds to dispose of overmatched Tanzanian Emelio Norfat in a non-title bout in East London.
While he has produced his best performances when fighting at home, Berman is confident the KwaBhaca-born Ndongeni will be able to woo the partisan US boxing fans. “He is incredible and the good thing about him is that he is able to back up all his flamboyance with good wins.”
The fight in the US is set to introduce him to a foreign environment in anticipation of his pending WBA lightweight title challenge, which is expected to take place in the UK.
That fight is set to go ahead if English boxer Antony Crolla successfully defends the title against hard-punching Venezuelan Ismael Barroso at the Manchester Arena this Saturday.
Ndongeni’s co-promoter Andile Sidinile says it is imperative that Ndongeni transcends his local popularity by drawing attention abroad. “Big-money fights are in the US and if Nomeva can woo the fans there he stands a chance to earn even big television contracts from HBO or Showtime,” he said.
Should Ndongeni manage to make himself staple boxing food in the US he will cap an incredible rags-to-riches story, having only started boxing when he moved from KwaBhaca, a rural Eastern Cape town, to Duncan Village where he learnt the trade.
His story was captured by the Daily Dispatch, which showed him training in a dilapidated building with broken windows that made it impossible to train when it rained.
Although he has since moved to Johannesburg to join trainer Colin Nathan at his state-of-the-art gymnasium, Ndongeni remains rooted to Duncan Village. He says he cannot wait to showcase his talent in the land of the dollar.
Las Vegas title extravaganza beckons for fiery ‘Nomeva’
His opponent has not yet been chosen, but the fight will be Ndongeni’s first one abroad.
It will form part of a tournament promoted by Art Pelullo, a close ally of Ndongeni’s Johannesburg promoter, Rodney Berman.
Berman confirmed the fight is a done deal bar the finding of an opponent for Ndongeni. “Yes, Nomeva is fighting in Las Vegas and we are excited to unleash him to the boxing hotbed,” he said.
Ndongeni, whose fights are preceded by dramatic entrances amid cheering and the chanting of his trademark song, Nank’ uNomeva Yhee Nomeva (Here is the Wasp), is arguably the most charismatic boxer in the land at the moment.
His marketability will make him a boatload of cash if he keeps on winning. So far he has been able to walk the talk, having won all his 21 bouts, 11 via stoppages.
He was in action only a fortnight ago, when he needed just 60 seconds to dispose of overmatched Tanzanian Emelio Norfat in a non-title bout in East London.
While he has produced his best performances when fighting at home, Berman is confident the KwaBhaca-born Ndongeni will be able to woo the partisan US boxing fans. “He is incredible and the good thing about him is that he is able to back up all his flamboyance with good wins.”
The fight in the US is set to introduce him to a foreign environment in anticipation of his pending WBA lightweight title challenge, which is expected to take place in the UK.
That fight is set to go ahead if English boxer Antony Crolla successfully defends the title against hard-punching Venezuelan Ismael Barroso at the Manchester Arena this Saturday.
Ndongeni’s co-promoter Andile Sidinile says it is imperative that Ndongeni transcends his local popularity by drawing attention abroad. “Big-money fights are in the US and if Nomeva can woo the fans there he stands a chance to earn even big television contracts from HBO or Showtime,” he said.
Should Ndongeni manage to make himself staple boxing food in the US he will cap an incredible rags-to-riches story, having only started boxing when he moved from KwaBhaca, a rural Eastern Cape town, to Duncan Village where he learnt the trade.
His story was captured by the Daily Dispatch, which showed him training in a dilapidated building with broken windows that made it impossible to train when it rained.
Although he has since moved to Johannesburg to join trainer Colin Nathan at his state-of-the-art gymnasium, Ndongeni remains rooted to Duncan Village. He says he cannot wait to showcase his talent in the land of the dollar.
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