Things you didn't know about Ludumo Lamati
Liverpool sensation Nick Ball (17-0, 10KO) is set to face undefeated South African Ludumo Lamati (20-0-1, 11KO) on the undercard of Michael Conlan’s IBF world title challenge at titleholder Luis Alberto Lopez in Belfast on May 27.
WBC #4 featherweight Ball is looking to challenge the winner of Lopez-Conlan, but he has to get through his next test against a former world champion in Lamati first, who was ranked WBC #4 himself in 2020.
Ludumo has fought in England before but not a lot is known about him still, so BBN have gathered as many facts abut the visiting fighter below:
Ludumo Lamati Facts
Ludumo was born 19th May 1992 in Mdantsane, South Africa and is currently 30 years old. He now resides in Johannesburg, where he has fought the majority of his fights.
He was nicknamed "9mm" after a semiautomatic pistol by his former trainer, Nick Durandt, who was a South African boxing trainer and manager that produced 95 South African champions in all 17 weight divisions, as well as 38 World champions and 27 International champions through the WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, WBF and IBO organisations. Some of those champions included including Thulani "Sugarboy" Malinga, Phillip Ndou, Zolani Tete and Moruti Mthalane. He tragically died in a motorcycle crash on April 21, 2017.
He is now trained by Phumzile Matyhila, managed by Larry Weinstein, and advised by Colin Nathan.
Lamati was involved in many fights as a schoolboy, which led a friend of his taking him to a boxing gym to put his aggression to better use. He received a scholarship to train at the gym when he was 13.
The youngster had over 100 amateur bouts and lost only 10. He competed at the 2011 World Championships, where he lost his first fight against Francisco Torrijos of Spain, as well as the 2011 All-Africa Games.
As a pro, Lamati is currently rated IBF #7 and WBO #13 at super-bantamweight.
The first time he came up against a winning fighter, Cebo Ngema, in his seventh bout in 2015, it ended in a draw.
He has boxed only once outside his native South Africa, an eight-round points win against Brayan Mairena over eight rounds in Bracknell, England back in 2019.
In June 2021, Lamati defeated José Martín Estrada García by majority decision become the IBO World super-bantamweight champion.
In May 2022, Lamati defeated Tanzanian Haidari Mchanjo via unanimous decision at Booysens Boxing Club in Booysens, Johannesburg, in a super bantamweight bout that saw him bestowed with a special WBC Ubuntu commemorative belt to celebrate African spirit.
In his first and only fight at featherweight, he scored his quickest stoppage since 2016 with a fourth round TKO over Mark Anthony Geraldo in November 2022.
He works for Ringside Fitness as a boxing trainer offering one to one private coaching sessions, alongside other pro fighters.
He is sponsored by South African fashion brand Studio 88 and Ellesse.
Professional Career at a Glance
Lamati made his professional debut on 10 April 2014, defeating Bongani Bhuti on points in Johannesburg.
After compiling a 9–0–1 record, he outpointed Innocent Mantengu in December 2016 for the vacant African super bantamweight title.
He defeated former world title challenger Luis Meléndez three months later to capture the vacant IBF Inter-Continental super bantamweight title, and successfully defended it against Alexis Boureima Kabore that December.
In July 2018 Lamati signed a promotional deal with Southampton-based Siesta Boxing Promotions (SBP). He only fought once in England during his stint there, however, beating late replacement Brayan Mairena on a SBP-promoted card in Bracknell on Saint Patrick's Day 2019.
He made his return to South Africa on 28 July 2019, headlining a Rumble Africa Promotions event against Richie Mepranum for the vacant IBF Inter-Continental super bantamweight title. Lamati outboxed the southpaw veteran, forcing a corner retirement before the start of the 11th round to claim the IBF Inter-Continental belt for the second time.
Although he didn't fight in 2020, Lamati reached as high as number four in the WBC divisional rankings. He signed with South African promoter Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves Boxing in January 2021. On 19 June 2021, Lamati defeated José Martín Estrada García by majority decision in Kempton Park to claim the vacant IBO super bantamweight title, with the judge's scorecards reading 116–112, 115–113, 114–114.
Lamati faced Haidari Mchanjo on 22 May 2022, following a near year-long absence from the sport. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with two scorecards of 100–90 and one scorecard of 97–92. Lamati next faced Ken Jordan on 2 October 2022. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 98–93, 98–92 and 98–92. As he struggled to make the bantamweight limit against Jordan, Lamati moved up to super bantamweight for his next bout, against Mark Anthony Geraldo on 17 November 2022, winning by a fourth-round knockout.
Bio
Bouts: 22
Rounds: 142
Won: 21
Lost: 0
Draws: 1
KOs: 11
KO Ratio: 50%
Height: 5′ 8″
Reach: 69½″
Roll of Honour
ABU African super-bantamweight title
South African super-bantamweight title
IBF International super-bantamweight title
IBO World super-bantamweight title
What Have They Said?
Ludumo Lamati: "Firstly I want to thank Nick Ball’s team of Queensberry. If it is the toughest fight, I don’t know, I will find out on the 27th.
"I am looking forward to this and excited that I have finally got a shot that I think will take me to the world title. I think he is strong, he is a threat and experience-wise, I don’t know, we will find out. I will give him a fight and we will see how he will handle a fight. I’ve been in fights, I’ve been pushed and pushed back. He is strong, comes forward and if he is going to bully me I will deserve that in the ring. I have everything to beat him. 22 guys have tried to beat me and failed all over the world."
Nick Ball: "I am just trying to stay focused. All he says sounds good but I have heard it all before and it is nothing new to me. Let’s see what he is saying when he gets punched in the face on Saturday. I am looking forward to it.
"It is a massive show and I appreciate everyone who got me on it. There is a world title fight at my weight and it is a good chance to show what I am about. I can’t lose focus, I’ve got another man who is coming to win and, if you think I underestimate him, you clearly don’t know me. I’ve got my business to handle first, then we will think about world title belts."
Nick Ball vs Ludumo Lamati fight previewHow to watch Ball vs Lamati in the U.S.
Article sponsored by HÖRFA
