Lamati's spirited victory over Estrada impresses Thobela

Dingaan “The Rose of Soweto” Thobela thinks highly of new IBO junior-featherweight champion Ludumo Lamati.

His spirited performance last month enabled him to emerge victorious against Mexican Jose Martin Garcia Estrada at Emperors Palace and has given hope that the IBF junior-featherweight belt could once more return to these shores.

That belt was first held by Lamati’s home boy Welcome “Hawk” Ncita in 1990.  Vuyani “the Beast” Bungu – who trained with Ncita at the famed Eyethu Boxing Gym of successful manager Mzimasi Mnguni – brought it back in 1994 and held onto it until 2000 with 13 defences. 

Now the spotlight is on Lamati – the 28-year-old star. The expectation from fight fans is that the IBF will recognise his abilities with a top 15 rating in that weight division, especially after his energy-sapping and nail-biting, bloody war with the immovable and unshakeable Estrada for the IBO belt.

If he is consistent he could then contest the IBF title that was held by old-time greats.

Lamati’s true potential had not been seen due to the calibre of fighters he has fought since he turned professional in 2014. Named after a bullet, the charismatic fighter who goes by the moniker “9mm” was called on to step up against tough-as-nails Estrada, and Lamati did that with splendour.

“Lamati showed great potential,” said Thobela, the former two-weight world champion who was blessed with talent, accuracy, power and charisma in his heyday. “I watched him against Estrada and what I observed is that he just needs more emphasis in what he does. If the stage becomes bigger he needs to change gears and once he masters that I will say to you he is a complete fighter.

“I give him credit for how he conducted himself, even when under difficult circumstances with his nose bleeding early and also his eye closed. He went on and never stopped trying different things, and that became too much for the Mexican. Another boxer would have given up.”