Ludumo Lamati’s days as a professional boxer are gradually coming to an end, the 30-year-old super-talented fighter from Mdantsane has hinted.
“I have about two or three years left and then call it quits,” said the former IBO junior featherweight champion, who will challenge top-rated WBC silver featherweight champion Nick Ball in Belfast, Ireland, on May 27.
Victory against the No 6 contender will earn Lamati a top rating by the Mexico-based organisation.
But Lamati has already started paving the way for his future after retirement. He revealed that he has opened Ringside Fitness Gym in Sandton and one of his employees is current SA super middleweight champion Asemahle Wellem.
He says he saw an opportunity in the fitness business.
“That industry is booming here. Those gyms employ current professional fighters who are then able to earn some money while waiting to get fights.
“I had to look at something that I know and fully understand,” he said.
Some boxers, including the late Jacob Matlala, got involved in businesses they did not really understand and they went under.
Lamati is lucky he has the backing of successful businessman and boxing promoter Larry Wainstein. The boxer mentions Jaji Sbali – former SA junior bantamweight boxing champion – and Vuyo Mtekwana as his trainers in the amateurs ranks back home in Mdantsane.
“I got to be known and respected here in Gauteng when I was still an amateur, I beat Tankiso Makhetha [now Sunday Times journalist],” he said, describing Makhetha as a “very good boxer”.
“He was also a smart person and I am not surprised to hear that he is a journalist. I was the SA amateur champion 15 times until I turned professional in 2014.”
He was nicknamed “9mm” by trainer Nick Durandt. Lamati is now with home boy, former SA bantamweight champion Phumzile Matyhila, in Gauteng.
He competed at the 2011 World Championships, where he lost his first fight against Francisco Torrijos of Spain, as well as the 2011 All-Africa Games. He says one top name he fought is current SA junior featherweight champion Bongani Mahlangu.
Lamati defeated Mahlangu for the SA title in 2017. He showed grit and determination when he won the IBO title in 2021 against Jose Martin Estrada Garcia.
Sadly, Lamati relinquished that title to avoid being stripped of it because he had not defended within the stipulated period after winning the belt. Hopefully when Lamati, retires he would have fulfilled his ambition of winning a world title from one of the super four sanctioning bodies, the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO.
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