Welcome mat to be laid for Kominisi

Defending his South African featherweight title for the first time against Sabelo Nokhele, the Nick Durandt-trained fighter is ready to show he is a worthy champion and that at this stage of his career the challenger is an inferior opponent.

“I’m going to knock Nokhele out. I don’t disrespect him, I don’t take anything, but he’s fighting me at the wrong time. This is my time,” said a confident Komanisi, who boasts dangerous career statistics of 15 wins, 14 by knockout, and three losses ahead of the showdown.

“Plain and simple. I’ll knock him out within eight rounds. I hit harder, I’m younger and I’m hungrier.”

Komanisi is originally from the Eastern Cape and is eager to prove to detractors that moving to Johannesburg to join Durandt was the right decision. He’s not going home to lose.

“I’m ready for my fight. I’ve been training since we opened the gym in January. Whenever I show up in East London I must make sure that I prove a point because I’m from there. I can’t go back there to lose,” he said.

“I’m prepared for whatever they bring. As a champion you must be prepared for anything. I’m more than able and I’m going to win.”

Nokhele’s record reads 10 wins, nine losses and two draws, which suggests that the champion is a heavy favourite and may explain the confidence within Komanisi’s camp.

“I feel like the guy is a challenger but he won’t be there till the end,” Durandt said, before reflecting on the impressive manner in which Komanisi annexed the title in December, stopping Aphiwe Mboyiya in six rounds.

“To win the title the way he did shows that he’s very strong. It’s one of the reasons I’ve called him ‘The Mexican’ because he just gets in there and hurts you,” Durandt added.