Sivenathi Nontshinga vs Masamichi Yabuki Preview October 12th, 2024
IBF Junior Flyweight Champion Sivenathi Nontshinga of South Africa travels to Nagoya, Japan this Saturday, October 12th to take on hometown hero and former WBC Champion Masamichi Yabuki. Nontshinga last fought in February when he met Adrien Curiel in an instant rematch and stopped him in the 10th round. Curiel took the title from Nontshinga last November by stopping him in the second round with a perfect overhand right. Nontshinga had won the belt in November, 2022 when he edged Hector Flores by a split decision in Mexico after dropping him in the second round. As for Yabuki, he last boxed in March when he halted Kevin Vivas in the fourth round.
Nontshinga vs Yabuki Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Masamichi Yabuki +170
- Sivenathi Nontshinga -210
My Pick
The 25-year-old Nontshinga makes the ring walk with a mark of 13-1 with 10 Ko’s and has boxed 92 rounds since making his pro debut in 2017 as a teenager. The champion carries quite a of power in his fists as 77 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage. However he’s stopped just one opponent in his last five fights. Before halting Curiel in February, he last stopped an opponent in March, 2020 when he knocked out Ivan Soriano in the fifth round.
As a pro, Nontshinga captured the vacant African Light Flyweight Title in 2018 and added the vacant IBF International Light Flyweight Belt a year later. He took the vacant IBF World Title by beating Hector Flores in a slugfest and managed to defend it once against Regie Suganob before getting knocked out by Curiel last year for his lone career loss. He stands 5-feet-5-inches tall with a 67-inch so will have a 2.5-inch reach advantage on Yabuki.
Yabuki is a solid 32-year-old pro with a record of 16-4 with 15 Ko’s with two of his defeats coming by way of stoppage. He’s just over 5-feet-5-inches in height with a 64.5-inch reach. He’s boxed just 83 rounds since making his pro debut in 2016 as he’s gone the distance just three times. This is because he also possesses tremendous power as 94 per cent of his wins have come by knockout. The biggest of these victories was an upset 10th-round stoppage over fellow countryman Kenshiro Teraji in September, 2021 to win the WBC Junior Flyweight Belt.
Things didn’t go too well in the rematch six months later though as Teraji avenged the defeat and took his title back by stopping Yabuki in the third round. Yabuki’s first defeat came at the hands of Junto Nakatani by four-round unanimous decision in 2016 and he was stopped two years later by Seigo Yuri Akui in just 92 seconds. His other loss also came in 2018 when he was edged via an eight-round split decision by Daniel Matellon. Since turning pro, Yabuki has also claimed the vacant Japanese Light Flyweight Title and has wins over Gilberto Pedroza and Ronald Chacon.
Prediction…
Nontshinga has just 14 pro fights under his belt but has been in a few wars already such as his bouts with Curiel and Hector Flores. Yabuki typically wins or loses by knockout and three of the four opponents who beat him are now world champions. Yabuki did upset Kenshiro Teraji so has had some success when stepping up in class but the question is can he do it again. He definitely has the power to take Nontshinga’s title if he catches him flush but he could just was easily be stopped if he’s on the receiving end of a big shot. Nontshinga has great footwork and jab and likes to fight off the back foot but since he’s fighting in Japan this is bit of a tossup. Nontshinga has the skills and power to retain his belt while Yabuki has the power to stop him but owns an unreliable chin. I can see this going either way but I’m leaning towards Nontshinga due to being the better overall boxer.
Nontshinga has the power and skills to retain his belt.
Play: Nontshinga -210 @ BetOnline.ag
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Masamichi Yabuki betting • Sivenathi Nontshinga betting