LOVEMORE NDOU BACK IN ACTION AFTER QUINNONES SETBACK!
by Tony Nobbs
28.11 - South African born Lovemore Ndou (31-5-1, 19 KO) steps into the ring for the second time this month when he meets Thailand's Saknirun Twins Gym (15-7, 7 KO) for the IBF Pan Pacific Super Lightweight Belt at Melbourne Festival Hall on Friday night.
The 31 year old Ndou lost an eight round decision to Steve Quinnones in Friant, California on November 3, on a card headlined by Montell Griffin-George Jones, in a fight he feels he won. "I knocked him down, cut him and won most rounds. I was originally told I'd be main support over ten rounds and be on at three o'clock. Then they told me four o'clock, and then came in and said I'd be fighting after the main event. I warmed up three times. He (Quinnones) is a Californian fighter and they gave it to him. These things happen in boxing but I will continue. I struggled to make the 135 pound weight and I'm now strong at 140. I have some fights lined up that will place me in a position to fight for the World Title".
Ndou admitted to Eastside yesterday that he knows little about Saknirun. "I can't even tell you his name. I expect him to be tough, that is all I can really tell you. I just cannot wait to get back in the ring and get this title".
Checking my records, I noticed that Ndou has not won a professional title in his 9 1/2 year career, drawing with Mthobeli Mhlophe over twelve rounds for the South African 130 lb Belt in 1995, shortly before settling in Australia. In other bouts on Friday's card, Julian Holland (28-3-1,18 KO) has his first outing since losing his Commonwealth WelterweightTitle to James Hare in April when he meets Fijian Zulfikar "Joy" Ali (11-3-6, 8 KO) and Pierre Karam (15-1-1, 5 KO) and Jeff Tupu (5-6-1, 5 KO) meet in a Lt Heavyweight contest.
Holland, 30, is expected to face American veteran Willy Wise at this venue on January 18 (Australian time), the night before Kostya Tszyu defends his Undisputed Super Lightweight Title against Jesse James Leija in Melbourne. Wise knocked down and outpointed Holland in Atlantic City in May 2000.
