Ayanda Ndulani (born April 4, 1997) is a South African

professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory autho ...

who has held the IBO minimumweight title since 2021.

Professional boxing career

Early career

Ndulani made his professional debut against Vuyani Swartbooi on June 27, 2015. He won the fight by a fourth-round technical knockout. He amassed a 10–2–1 record during the next four years, before making his first world title challenge.

IBO minimumweight champion

Ndulani vs. Joyi

Ndulani was scheduled to challenge the reigning IBO minimumweight champion

Nkosinathi Joyi Nkosinathi Joyi (born 1 January 1983 in Mdantsane, South Africa), is a South African professional boxer with a southpaw stance who goes by the nickname of "Mabere". Joyi is the former IBF Minimumweight world champion, he was ranked by BoxRec an ...

on May 21, 2021, at the International Convention Centre in

East London, Eastern Cape East London ( xh, eMonti; af, Oos-Londen) is a city on the southeast coast of South Africa in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality of the Eastern Cape province. The city lies on the Indian Ocean coast, largely between the Buffalo River ...

. Both fighters came into the bout after a two year absence from the sport, with Ndulani's last fight taking place on September 28, 2019, while Joyi's last fight took place on December 16, 2019. The incumbent champion was regarded as the favorite to retain the title, while Ndulani came in as a moderate underdog and was dubbed a

dark horse A dark horse is a previously lesser-known person or thing that emerges to prominence in a situation, especially in a competition involving multiple rivals, or a contestant that on paper should be unlikely to succeed but yet still might. Origin Th ...

. Joyi weighed in at 48.10kg at the official weigh-ins, which was almost 500g above the 47.63kg limit. Accordingly, he was stripped of the title, leaving Ndulani as the only one eligible to capture the now vacant belt. Ndulani won the fight by a fourth-round knockout. The visibly drained Joyi was knocked down twice in the second round, although he was able to beat the eight count both times. The former champion was once again floored at the 1:31 minute mark of the fourth round, after which the referee decided to stop the fight.

The Baleni trilogy

Ndulani was booked to make his maiden IBO minimumweight title defense against the former WBO Global and African minimumweight champion Siphamandla Baleni. The bout took place on November 26, 2021, at the International Convention Centre in

East London, South Africa East London ( xh, eMonti; af, Oos-Londen) is a city on the southeast coast of South Africa in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality of the Eastern Cape province. The city lies on the Indian Ocean coast, largely between the Buffalo Rive ...

. Ndulani won the rematch by split decision, with two judges awarding him a 117–111 and 116–112 scorecards respectively, while the third judge scored it 118–114 for Baleni. Baleni later contested the result of the decision with the IBO, who ruled against him on May 18, 2022, confirming Ndulani as their minimumweight champion. Despite the IBO ruling, Ndulani chose to give Siphamandla Baleni a second chance at the title. The rematch was one of five titles bouts which were scheduled as part of the annual boxing celebration of former president

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...

, and was expected to take place on August 3, 2022, at the same venue in which their first bout transpired. On July 27, Xaba Promotions announced that the bout was postponed due to budgetary constraints, and would be rescheduled for September 4. Ndulani won the fight by split decision, the same as in their previous encounter.

Ndulani vs. Soto

On November 9, 2022, during the annual WBC convention, the sanctioning body formally ordered a mini-flyweight title eliminator between Ndulani and Luis Castillo Soto. The fight was expected to take place on February 25, 2023, at the ICC Durban in

Durban, South Africa Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

on the undercard of the Michael Mendoza and Landi Ngxeke super flyweight bout, but was postponed as Ngxeke came down with

bronchitis Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi (large and medium-sized airways) in the lungs that causes coughing. Bronchitis usually begins as an infection in the nose, ears, throat, or sinuses. The infection then makes its way down to the bronchi. ...

. The bout was re-scheduled to take place on March 31, 2023, but was removed from the event entirely days before it was supposed to take place, as Ndulani refused to continue his preparations at the event promoter's Xaba Boxing Academy, choosing instead to stay at the Masenze Boxing Club. The title eliminator is scheduled to take place on May 17, 2023, in Cancun, Mexico.

Professional boxing record

References

1997 births Living people South African male boxers Mini-flyweight boxers World mini-flyweight boxing champions International Boxing Organization champions Sportspeople from East London, South Africa

External links

*{{boxrec, id=731524