Sivenathi Nontshinga climbed back to the top, winning the IBF light flyweight crown with a thunderous TKO in the tenth against Adrian Curiel under the bright lights of Auditorium Guelaguetza in Oaxaca, Mexico. From the get-go, it was an all-out brawl, with punches flying like there was no tomorrow. Curiel had Nontshinga eating leather against the ropes more times than a cowboy at a rodeo. But the tide turned in the ninth when Nontshinga landed a left hook that had Curiel seeing stars. Another round, another hammering, and down went Curiel, leading to the ref waving it off and Nontshinga reclaiming his throne.
Let’s not forget the shocker last year in Monaco, where Curiel sent Nontshinga packing in just two rounds. But this time, Nontshinga flipped the script in Curiel’s own stomping grounds.
Switching gears to the super featherweights, Mauricio Lara and Daniel Lugo threw down in a scrap that had no clear winner, ending in a draw that probably had both fighters and fans scratching their heads. It was a rollercoaster of a fight, with Lugo landing a haymaker in the sixth that had Lara wobbling. But Lara wasn’t about to roll over, coming back strong in the seventh to give Lugo a taste of his own medicine. The back-and-forth continued, with both warriors landing heavy shots, but when the dust settled, the judges couldn’t pick a side, leaving us all wondering what a rematch might bring.
Photos: Pizano / Matchroom Boxing
