IBF junior flyweight champion Sivenathi “Special One” Nontshinga’s recent win is not only a personal success story but, it serves as a milestone for our country as a whole. At the tender age of 25, Sivenathi has achieved what many boxers can only wish for.
The East London-born champion had a chat with BONA, taking us through his life journey and all the obstacles he endured in order to claim back his international boxing federation championship, knocking out Adrian Curiel in the 10th round, in Mexico recently.
Born in Nxarhuni, a village outside East London, the boxing champion grew up as a petite boy who was often bullied by other kids. Then, an only child to his mother Phindiwe Nontshinga and his father Thembani Gopheni. Sivenathi lived with his grandmother until the age of four. It was when he moved to Ziphunzana, a small township in East London to go live with his parents that his love for boxing began.
In 2006 while in grade two, Sivenathi started boxing and trained with his father. While still facing bullies at school, the boxer details that he didn’t share any of that with his parents only taking out his frustration on a punching bag in the training centre.
An older brother to two brothers, Alulutho and Lunathi whom he both named, Sivenathi adds that he later found a protector in his late best friend Oyintando Marhewu.
A young man with a lot of wisdom, Sivenathi shares that attending high school at Khulani Comprehensive school made him aspire to be a businessman and an accountant.
He also notes that he idolised Floyd Mayweather and took his words, “If you want to be the best you must outwork the rest,” very serious. As a young boy, peer pressure got to him, and he started drinking and smoking. The boxer shares that his intention for sharing his mistakes is to encourage and inspire those going through what he was going through and who might think there’s no way out.
Sivenathi’s first trophy was a South African National Boxing Organisation (SANBO) at the tender age of 13. After passing his grade 12, Sivenathi went to live with his father’s friend Khwezi Booi whom he says he will never forget. Three years after his boxing lay off, he went back to professional boxing. He notes that it was very hard at the beginning as he had lost his fitness, but he persisted.
The professional boxer started winning titles fighting as a pro. One of his fond moments was a fight between him and “a person he idiolised,” Siyabonga Siyo which took place at East London’s Orient Theatre where he knocked him out in the nineth round. With Collin Nathan as his trainer and having joined Matchroom boxing club, the boxer went on to fight Adrian Cruel in Monaco, this was after he played the Elimination for world title, earning him the title as the No1 world contender.
He unfortunately lost the fight against Collin late in 2023 and immediately applied for a rematch. Speaking of his second chance at the title he notes, “I trained hard. I was like I am not moving around anymore.” Now an IBF junior flyweight, the strategic Sivenathi shares that he learnt, “that being patient is very important.”
Talking about the great influence his father has had on him, the boxer shared, “I am glad that my father allowed me to make mistakes, as I have later learnt from them. He played a big role in my life as a coach, a friend and a big brother.”
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