The second SA boxing entourage left for Japan at the weekend determined to create another layer of history by returning with a world title.
The group, including promoter Larry Wainstein, Shannon Strydom and Mike Altamura, was part of the entourage of Duncan Village star Phumelala Cafu, who will challenge Kosei Tanaka for the WBO junior-bantamweight title at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on Monday next week.
The fight will come just 48 hours after stablemate Sivenathi Nontshinga defends his IBF junior-flyweight belt against another Japanese, Masamichi Yabuki, at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname.
Nontshinga and his team left for Japan on Thursday, with chief trainer Colin Nathan and cutman Bernie Pailman set to join Cafu in Tokyo after Nontshinga’s fight.
It will be the first time two SA boxers contest for major world titles abroad in two days, with the historic connotations of the event filtering down to Duncan Village where both boxers cut their teeth in the amateur ranks.
Nathan said he was confident of returning with both titles.
“Already these two bouts are an achievement to me, but it will be another milestone when we come back with the titles,” he said.
While fighting for a world title in Japan with his homeboy will be a milestone for Cafu, his bout will also create history for Japan as the title clash will be part of two-day seven world championships in the land.
After Nontshinga’s clash against Yabuki on Saturday, attention will shift to Tokyo when it hosts the first tournament on Sunday topped by WBA bantamweight champion Takuma Inoue defending his belt against Seiya Tsutsumi.
Kenshiro Teraji, who was originally targeted by Sivenathi Nontshinga for an IBF, WBC and WBA junior-flyweight title unification clash, moves to flyweight to contest the vacant WBC crown against Cristofer Rosales.
Seigo Yuri Akui and Thai Thananchai Charunphak will battle for the WBA junior-flyweight belt previously held by Teraji, while Shokichi Ishida and Jairo Noriega will dispute the WBO mini-flyweight crown.
Cafu’s moment of glory will be supported by Junto Nakatani who will risk his WBC bantamweight belt against Thai Tasana Salapat, and Anthony Olascuaga making a quick ring return to risk his newly won WBO flyweight crown against former WBO junior-flyweight champion Jonathan Gonzalez, who also turned down a unification clash against Nontshinga.
While Cafu will be fighting under Nathan’s tutelage for the first time, the internationally acclaimed trainer allayed any fears of adverse consequences during the fight.
“Cafu is a world-class fighter and I have also been around to know what to expect from a boxer during a fight.”
Tanaka already boasts the scalp of an SA boxer when he beat Cafu’s Duncan Silage homeboy Yanga Sigqibo in a non-title fight in Japan in 2022.
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