10-07-2025
Ndongeni stands tall in Istanbul despite short-notice defeat
Armenia's Hovhannes Bachkov receives the IBA International Super Lightweight title after defeating South Africa's Xolisani Ndongeni in Istanbul, Türkiye. Bachkov also successfully defended his WBA Continental title. Photo: IBA
Image: IBA
South Africa's fighting veteran, Xolisani Ndongeni, is a contented man who will not look back at his IBA Pro 7 fight with any regrets.
The 40-fight professional was called upon as a late replacement for Uzbek athlete Shohjahon Ergashev in a WBA Intercontinental junior welterweight title fight against Armenia's Hovhannes Bachkov at a prestigious International Boxing Association event in Istanbul, Türkiye.
The two-day event, which featured a handful of global superstars and was billed as the 'unveiling of IBA's bold new vision and the ushering in of boxing's Golden Era', included the likes of Tyson Fury, Terence Crawford, and many others.
There, in front of icons of the sport, Mzansi's veteran pushed his opponent — a 2020 Summer Olympics bronze medallist — for nine rounds before losing via TKO after his corner threw in the towel. It was an impressive feat considering that Ndongeni (33-7) only learnt of the fight a few days before the showpiece.
'The fight was good. Firstly, congratulations to Hovhannes (8-0) — he is a good boy, a good fighter,' said Ndongeni.
'You know, this fight was meant for me. I faced many challenges before it. Before I got news of the bout, I had the flu for a week, which impacted my training, as I stayed away from the gym for some time.
"Then I got a call from IBA saying there is a fight next week, and I thought, 'next week Saturday', as most fights are on Saturdays. Then I found out it was on a Wednesday.
"I asked, 'Who am I fighting?'
"They showed me the guy, and I said, 'Cool, let's go'.'
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Bachkov is one of the fastest-rising stars in the world and is set to make a name for himself on the professional scene following a decorated amateur career.
'He is good, but you know, I've been around. I fought the likes of Devin Haney and Arnold Barboza Jr — I've faced good guys.
'The reason I took this fight was because I got to fight for the title that I was supposed to receive in March earlier this year, when I faced Puerto Rico's Nestor Bravo,' said Ndongeni, who beat the Puerto Rican in his home country.
'So when this fight came, and the shot at that same title was on the line, to me, it was God's doing. I needed my chance to lose the title, because I didn't receive it or the award in Puerto Rico. So I am grateful to God that I was able to fight for it and rather lose it inside the ring.'
Ndongeni and Bachkov kept fans inside the Rixos Tersane venue enthralled as the two warriors delivered a clinical display. The South African displayed a high-volume work rate, mixing body and head shots. Bachkov, by contrast, was more patient with his stick-and-jab combinations and selective with his punches.
Both athletes showed great composure and excellent head movement. But ultimately, it was the stoic Bachkov whose power and precision won the day after he rocked Ndongeni with a head shot that dropped the African warrior.
Ndongeni went down for a count and attempted to rise, but his experienced corner — led by renowned South African coach Sean Smith — had seen enough and threw in the towel, one round short of a scheduled ten-round championship contest.
'Yes, it was on a week's notice, but it's all good — it doesn't take away from the fighter,' said a gracious Ndongeni.
'He won the fight. He caught me with good punches — not so much the body shots, but the head shots. I got dizzy from those.
"When I took the count, I was about to get back up, and then I saw my coaches throw in the towel. I'm grateful to my team at the end of the day. It's good to have someone who looks out for you.
'If a coach doesn't care, he will let you fight on. At least I can say I live to fight another day. Coaches see things you can't always see in the ring, so salute to my corner and my coaches.
'South Africa, we did our best. We came, we fell short — but we live to fight another day. I believe I'm going to be a champion one day, again,' added Ndongeni, who has held multiple titles, including the IBO Intercontinental, WBF Intercontinental, WBA Africa, and World IBO championships.
Speaking at a glittering press conference and event before the IBA Pro Fight Night last week, IBA President Umar Kremlev highlighted the organisation's renewed vision and mission to open doors for amateur and professional boxers worldwide by empowering them to pursue their dreams — something that has not always been possible for many athletes.
Kremlev outlined plans to build a robust support ecosystem for fighters from all backgrounds — amateur, professional, and bare-knuckle.
'Our goal is to ensure every athlete knows that IBA is their boxing home. We must create opportunities for children so that they can develop positively. We want to help children establish a new future for themselves and their families,' said Kremlev, whose organisation has long been a powerhouse in the amateur boxing world.
'This is like Real Madrid — you go through the amateur ranks, you earn your stripes, and then, if you want to go professional, we will take care of you,' added Al Siesta, director of IBA Pro.
Kremlev also expressed his affection for Mzansi when asked about future plans in the Rainbow Nation.
'We have already hosted the Mandela Cup there in South Africa, and we also plan on staging an IBA Pro Night of Champions in South Africa,' he told Independent Media and MzansiMMA.
'We love South Africa very much. The African continent in general is a special place, and we have many talented boxers from there. A lot of events will be happening in Africa,' added Kremlev.
With this news, Ndongeni is excited about the IBA's renewed direction and believes South African boxers can only benefit from the organisation's ambitions.
'This doesn't come around every time, you know,' he said. 'Being in South Africa is sometimes difficult. We have a lot of talent, a lot of boxers — and a lot of good boxers who can be champions. But opportunities like this don't come to many of us.'
