Nontshinga escapes car crash unharmed, Suganob rematch will go on

CEBU, Philippines — Sivenathi Nontshinga’s International Boxing Federation (IBF) light flyweight title eliminator against Bohol’s pride Reggie Suganob will push through as scheduled on September 12 in Tagbilaran City.

There were initial fears that the highly anticipated rematch top billing the “Kumong Bol-anon XXVI” would be jeopardized after the South African boxer was involved in a car accident the other day.

In a report by the Daily Dispatch, the 27-year-old Nontshinga was driving with his father, Thembani Gopheni, when they were involved in an accident.

It happened on Malibongwe Drive in Johannesburg while the two-time IBF light flyweight champion was on his way to the HotBox Gym of his trainer and manager Colin “Nomakanjani” Nathan.

Luckily, Nontshinga escaped the car crash unharmed.

Nontshinga is safe and sound that there is nothing to worry about his upcoming return bout with Suganob.

In a separate report by Bongani Magasela of The Sowetan, a major English-language daily newspaper in South Africa, Nathan quoted Nontshinga as saying: “I am fine, and so is the driver. God was watching over us. There was a truck that went into us. I usually sit in the back, but today something told me to sit in the front.”

Nathan and his assistant Shannon Strydom were at the gym when Nontshinga called to tell him what had happened.

“Thank God he is okay and nobody got hurt. Shannon and I decided that he take the day off and train tonight,” said Nathan.

Nontshinga holds a 14-2 record with 11KOs, while Suganob, both ranked No.1 by the IBF and the World Boxing Organization (WBO), carries a 18-1 slate with 7KOs.

The winner of their highly anticipated rematch will earn a mandatory shot at reigning IBF light flyweight champion Thanongsak Simsri of Thailand. — (FREEMAN)