Zolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni has reacted with anger to the perception that his comeback is motivated by financial distress after he ended his seven-month retirement.
Ndongeni will make his comeback when he challenges Frenchman Ordy Weiss for the IBO Intercontinental welterweight title in France on December 19.
The bout comes less than a year since the KwaBhaca-born Duncan Village boxer's farewell fight at the Jan Smuts Stadium in KuGompo City in May.
He scored an exciting seven-round stoppage victory over late replacement Chumani Tunzi in a junior-welterweight clash, with the win sparking calls for him to continue fighting.
While it brought down the curtain on his illustrious 42-bout career which netted him numerous titles including two SA belts and an IBO accolade, the win also served as his 36th birthday present.
Ndongeni was adamant that the fight was his swansong and he would remain retired.
But, as they say, once the boxing bug bites, one remains bitten.
Ndongeni confirmed he could not stay away for good especially after being inundated with offers abroad, some very tantalising.
“My phone has not stopped ringing since my farewell fight,” he said.
“I have been dismissing them but you know, sometimes when you are harassed about something you love, the mind tends to react accordingly.
“I got at least three offers alone this month when I was in my rural village KwaBhaca, but there was this one about Weiss that captured my interest.”
Ndongeni, whose previous forays were mostly in the US and Latin America, said one of the reasons he took the Weiss fight was his long desire to fight in Europe.
“I have always wanted to fight in Europe and I recall at one stage, I was close to fighting Kambosos [George] but his people turned me down,” he said.
Ndongeni’s comeback unleashed mixed reactions on social media, with some dismissing it as just a money grab mission.
Ndongeni expressed his disappointment at the comeback being reduced to a financial campaign.
“I really do not understand how our people support their boxers.
“Boxers retire and come back and no-one has ever reduced it as being motivated by money, yet when we do, we are dismissed as just being after a quick buck.
“Tyson Fury retires and unretires, Floyd Mayweather does the same and all these boxers are embraced, yet when we do it we are ridiculed.”
Ndongeni said he was in peak physical condition with just 6kg over the welterweight limit in which he will fight for the first time.
“I struggled to make the junior-welterweight in my farewell fight, so I took a decision to move up to the welterweight."
A victory against Weiss, who has just one loss and a draw in 37 bouts, will likely propel Ndongeni to an IBO title shot which was previously held by his homeboy, Thulani Mbenge.
