Araneta tackles KO artist Nontshinga in world title eliminator

Chances are someone’s going to get knocked out when Filipino Christian Araneta and South African Sivenathi Nontshinga tangle in a world title eliminator on Saturday, April 24 in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Araneta wields power with 15 of his 19 wins coming by way of KO against a lone loss. The Cebuano’s record, however, pales in comparison with the unbeaten Nontshinga stopping all of his 9 victims, including Filipino Ivan Soriano who got knocked out in the fifth round.

The winner will get a crack at International Boxing Federation light flyweight champion Felix Alvarado.

This will be Araneta’s second eliminator fight. He suffered his lone defeat against Daniel Valladares in Mexico on September 9, 2019, when he was forced to retire due to a right arm injury.

The 26-year-old Araneta rebounded with back-to-back victories over Richard Rosales and Roland Jay Biendima and is ready to blot Nontshinga’s clean slate.

At 5-foot-4, Araneta towers over the 4-foot-11 Nontshinga and intends to use his longer reach to keep the 22-year-old banger at bay.

In his last fight on March 8, 2020, Nontshinga bucked a swollen left eye to become the first man to stop Soriano.

Nontshinga, ranked No. 3 by the IBF,  is confident the fourth-ranked Araneta will be his 10th KO victim.

Araneta, however, is unfazed. He has prepared well and has been in South Africa with trainer Jinggoy Junco and Omega Sports Promotions vice president Jerome Calatvara since April 9. – Rappler.com