Thembelani  Nxoshe takes on nemesis Nhlanhla Ngamntwini in defence of his SA flyweight title at Orient Theatre on Sunday.
Nxoshe has registered just one title defence since he stopped Mfundo Gwayana in September 2016.
The fight is a rematch of their December clash, when Ngamntwini escaped with a decision but could not walk away with the belt, as he was found to be not eligible to contest it. We look at the strength and weaknesses of the two boxers.
STRENGTH:
Nxoshe: Nxoshe is one of the toughest boxers around and when he puts his mind to it, he is very hard to beat.
Nxoshe can combine roughhouse tactics with an awkward style to win any bout. He is one of those boxers, who is not good in any particular department, but yet good enough to leave the ring a winner.
Expect him to fight for dear life as a loss will be embarrassing to him – especially against a boxer who beat him before.
Ngamntwini: “24” is still yet to fulfil the promise he showed in his mini-flyweight days before he was upset by Simpiwe Konkco in his lone loss.
This scribe recalls when Ngamntwini’s previous manager Mzi Mnguni asked what I thought about the youngster after one of his wins in the mini-flyweight division.
“His boxing style is based on athleticism but his lack of basics may prove to be his undoing against other opponents,” I observed.
Whether Mnguni took the observation as praise or warning one will never know. Bottom line is, Ngamntwini is still the same boxer he was back then. Fortunately he has talent which has seen him maintain his winning streak. He also has incredible hand-speed which helps him to tee off before an opponent could react.
WEAKNESSES
Nxoshe: This boxer is not good at anything specific but he is good enough to put it together when it matters most.
He tends to lunge in without setting up his offence, with a jab making him an easy target to time.
His awkward style sometimes even confuses himself as he often gets off-balance when missing the target.
Ngamntwini: This boxer’s flawed technique and lack of basics were responsible for his chilling knockout defeat by Konkco.
Since the loss, his level of competitiveness has not improved. His tendency to switch-hit sometimes disrupts his own rhythm and allows an opponent back in to the fight. This habit may be his undoing against a motivated Nxoshe who will use everything to gain the upper- hand...