Deputy sports minister Nocawe Mafu welcomed Nontshinga at the OR Tambo International Airport on his arrival from Mexico where he won the world title after defeating Hector Flores in September.
During a brief interview with the Sowetan yesterday regarding the possibility of that fight happening in East London, Mafu said: “They must go through Boxing SA who will then approach the department for financial assistance. RAP CEO Nomfesane Nyatela confirmed yesterday writing to different departments. “Yes, we wrote to different sectors of government and they acknowledged receiving our emails, so we are waiting patiently,” she said. ”We intend to do the fight on the weekend of 23rd April in the Eastern Cape. We are working hard on it and obviously we are looking at getting sponsors on board.”
The camps of Nontshinga and that of Suganob have already been informed by the IBF that negotiations for the rights to stage this fight should commence immediately and be concluded by March 28.