Sivenathi “The Special One” Nontshinga (13-1, 10 knockouts) emerged victorious over IBF light flyweight champion Adrian “Gatito” Curiel (24-5-1, 5 knockouts) in a thrilling bout at the Auditorium Guelaguetza in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Towards the end of the ninth round, Nontshinga delivered a powerful blow to Curiel’s head, leaving him on the brink of defeat. In the following round, Nontshinga continued to dominate, relentlessly attacking his wounded opponent.
The referee intervened, giving Curiel a standing eight count. Shortly after, Nontshinga unleashed a flurry of devastating punches, prompting the referee to call off the fight.
At the age of 25, Nontshinga avenged his previous loss to Curiel in November, reclaiming his IBF light flyweight title in the process.
Nontshinga employed a relentless offensive strategy, gradually wearing down Curiel throughout the match. In the fifth round, Nontshinga was penalized for a head-butt.
From the very beginning, Nontshinga set a blistering pace, placing immense pressure on Curiel, who struggled to keep up. Despite Curiel’s initial display of power, reminiscent of their previous encounter in Monte Carlo, Nontshinga demonstrated improved resilience.
As the fight progressed, Nontshinga turned the tables on Curiel, ultimately causing significant damage in the ninth round. It could be argued that the referee displayed remarkable patience by allowing the contest to continue, given Curiel’s deteriorating condition.
In the tenth round, Nontshinga wasted no time in launching a relentless assault on Curiel, landing a series of uninterrupted blows. The referee intervened, awarding Nontshinga a technical knockout victory. This triumph not only allowed Nontshinga to reclaim his title but also served as redemption for his previous defeat.
In another bout on the undercard, super featherweights Mauricio Lara (26-3-2, 19 knockouts) and Daniel Lugo (27-2-1, 18 knockouts) fought to a draw after ten rounds. The judges’ scores were 96-94 in favor of Lugo and 95-95, 95-95, resulting in a split decision. Both fighters sustained injuries during the match.
According to the Source boxingnews24.com