The IBF has a new junior flyweight champion after Mexico’s Adrian Curiel 24-4-1 (5) dethroned previously undefeated South African Sivenathi Nontshinga 12-1 (9) in a boilover.
The fight was the main support bout to the IBF super featherweight title defence of Joe Cordina 16-0 (9) against Edward Vazquez 15-1 (3) at the Casino de Monte Carlo Salle Medecin in Monte Carlo, Morocco on Saturday night.
From the opening bell it was obvious that Curiel was not just there to make up the numbers. The 24-year-old pressured Nontshinga in the opening round, throwing 44 punches compared to 43 for the champion and connecting with 12 blows compared to 15, according to CompuBox.
Nontshinga, also 24, entered the fight with the reputation of a power puncher despite his last three bouts going the distance. Curiel by contrast had just four knockouts in his previous 28 bouts.
All of that mattered for nought in a dramatic second round when a lazy jab from Nontshinga left him in a whole world of pain. A counter right cross from the challenger looped over his extended arm, caught him on chin and put him down and out. Referee Sparkle Lee didn’t bother to count, waving off the contest at the 1:09 mark of the second stanza.
Nontshinga appeared nonchalant about the threat Curiel presented, telling The Ring before the bout: “I’ll get inside the ring and defend my title. He’s a good boxer, he’s not that smart, he puts pressure.
“I respect him just like any other fighter. I don’t underestimate him. I have worked to my capabilities and worked so hard. Come November 4, I’ll get inside the square and defend my title again.”
There was nothing on Curiel’s ledger to suggest the underdog was capable of pulling off the win. The IBF ranked him their number 12 contender going in to this bout, which some would consider generous. By contrast Nontshinga was ranked number to by The Ring, behind only WBO titleholder Jonathan Gonzalez 27-3-1 (14) and WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine world champion Kenshiro Teraji 22-1 (14).
Prior to the fight Nontshinga was open about his desire to unify the 108-pound division.
“It is on my mind each and every day when I wake up and when I go to sleep. Some day I want to be a unified champion and become the undisputed champion,” he revealed to The Ring.
“It’s not just about me, it’s about my country and Africa as a whole. I am the only creditable world champion here. I’ve been boxing for 12-years now, I started boxing when I was young, I’m 24-years-old, already had my first defence and gunning for more defences and more titles. I want to be a multi-weight world champion.
“My dream lies with both of them, let me just defend my title first and then after that whoever comes first and we can do a great show that boxing world won’t forget.”
