Regie Suganob (third from right) is surrounded by his team for a group photo after arriving in South Africa on Tuesday. | Photo from Edito Villamor.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Boholano Regie “The Filipino Phenom” Suganob and his team arrived at the ICC Premier Hotel in East London South Africa on Tuesday.
Suganob will face reigning IBF world champion Sivenathi Nontshinga on July 2, 2023 (July 3 Manila Time) for the latter’s title.
Suganob is accompanied by his team from the PMI Bohol Boxing Stable, comprised of his promoter and manager Floriezyl Podot, trainers Edsel Burlas and Nino Jalnaiz, and their partner, veteran matchmaker Edito Villamor.
They arrived in East London, South Africa, early Tuesday morning after a tiring 22-hour trip from the Philippines.
It can be recalled that the world title bout was rescheduled from June 16 to July 2 after promotional constraints on Nontshigna’s side, particularly with Rumble Africa Promotions, the official boxing outfit that promotes the world title bout.
However, Suganob’s long-time dream of fighting for a world title is just a few days away from happening after he arrived in South Africa with his team.
Currently, Suganob is acclimatizing and adjusting to the different timelines in South Africa, which is crucial for his overall condition on fight night.
Suganob became Nontshinga’s mandatory challenger after he defeated Omega Boxing Gym’s Mark Vicelles via an eighth-round stoppage last February in Calape, Bohol.
Their bout was a world title eliminator to determine Nontshinga’s mandatory challenger.
The victory improved Suganob’s unblemished record to 13 wins with four knockouts.
Meanwhile, Nontshinga, who is also undefeated in 11 fights with nine knockouts, will make his first title defense. He won the IBF world title last September via a split decision against Hector Flores Calixto in Hermosillo, Mexico.
Also fighting in the Suganob-Nontshinga undercard is another Filipino, Miel Fajardo, against Nhlanhla Tyirha in a non-title bout. /rcg
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