“This is one of the big four boxing bodies in the world, so I feel honored really,” said Xolisani Ndongeni upon hearing that the WBA now ranks him seventh in the lightweight division.

Fighting out of Duncan Village, Eastern Cape, South Africa, the 25-year-old is an undefeated six-year ring vet (20-0, 10 KOs) who won the vacant WBA Pan African lightweight title in June 2015 by beating Mzonke Fana via majority decision. In addition, Ndongeni scored the vacant IBO International lightweight title by outpointing Patrick Malinga in August 2014. In his most recent fight, this past November, he won the vacant IBO World lightweight title by stopping Jasper Seroka via ninth-round TKO.

Ndongeni’s manager, Colin Nathan, thinks interim WBA World lightweight titlist Ismael Barroso (ranked second by the sanctioning body) is the “danger man” in the division, but that WBA World lightweight champ Anthony Crolla is beatable because Ndongeni’s style would give him “nightmares.”

In the meantime, Ndongeni is proud to be in the same class as Arnold Taylor, Peter Mathebula, Gerrie Coetzee, Piet Crous, Brian Mitchell, and Dingaan Thobela, the only other South Africans to have won WBA titles.

This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.