Sive Nontshinga's patient & disciplined approach paying off

Nontshinga, who is also the only credible world champion from Africa currently, comes up against a Mexican boxer Adrian Curiel Dominguez tonight at Casino de Monte Carlo Salle Medecin in Monaco, around 20:00.

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Earlier last year, in his quest to be a world champion, he left his home in East London and relocated to Gauteng and that was just the beginning of realizing his dreams.

"To be honest, Sive Nontshinga was an upcoming boxer back then. He was a young kid who didn't understand the phrase of life, you know the definition but this one is totally different," Nontshinga said.

"I'm old, I've dealt with different people. That's one of the reasons why I came here because when I was in East London, I felt like I had reached the ceiling. Now, I need something new, I need some spark. So, that's why I decided to spread my wings and come to this side. So, that I can meet new people."

There have been a number of talented boxers from the Eastern Cape in years gone by, who could not balance their lives on and off the ring. But Nontshinga, who turns 25 next month, has been fortunate to have a father like Thembani Gopheni, who is a boxing trainer himself, who took a noble decision to relocate his son to Johannesburg and link him up with ace trainer and manager Colin “Nomakanjani” Nathan. As he prepares for tonight’s fight, Nontshinga says he has come a long way and wants to put up a show in Monaco tonight.

"When I speak something, I dream of it, I manifest, I put myself on it, expose myself to it and push myself to the limit. I love a challenge. I've always wanted to be here. So, this is my time. It's not my prime yet but this is my time.

“This is the beginning of great things. This is the beginning of greatness. So, nobody is gonna stop me. I've came a long way. This is the part of the world where I wanted to get myself in. So, now that I'm here, I'm happy.

“It's the total opposite of what I was thinking I'm gonna be at the same time. I'm a world champion now. I'm gonna defend my title here and I want to give the French people a show that they will never forget.

“Just like what we did in Mexico, if you remember what we did in Mexico, they are still talking about it even now. That's why we are the special one."