Vacant IBF spot keeping ‘Lights Out’up at night

Lerato Dlamini says he's been struggling to sleep since Saturday after agreeing to take the order by the International Boxing Federation's championship committee to face Arnold Khegai in an elimination fight for the No 1 spot and the rights to challenge for that organisation's featherweight belt.

"I can't sleep," said jubilant Dlamini, who was full of smiles throughout the interview on Tuesday. "There is too much excitement.

"I set a goal that by the end of this year, I must be a legitimate world boxing champion from one of the top four most respected boxing bodies and that chance has come. I can tell you now that I will beat Khegai and win the IBF belt before the end of the year."

Based in Johannesburg, the lad from the Free State, a former IBF Youth champion, is under the management of trainer Colin Nathan.

"Lights Out", as Dlamini is known in the boxing space, is rated No 2, a spot above his US-based Ukrainian opponent. The No 1 spot is vacant.

The winner will occupy that position and ultimately become the mandatory challenger to IBF featherweight champ Luis Lopez Vargas from Mexico. The elimination between Dlamini and Khegai must happen within 90 days.

"This is a must-win fight for me; I am not getting any younger," said Dlamini, who turned 30 last month. Khegai, who is based in Los Angeles, California, is 31 years old. "We are both at the peak of our careers."

Dlamini last fought in September when he chalked up an unforeseen win over highly rated Tomoki Kameda – the vastly experienced former world champion from Osaka, Japan, in their non-title fight.

Dlamini revealed that he "lost" more than R1m for his rematch with Kameda.

"We were supposed to fight on March 3," he said. "I had a meeting with Colin and we agreed that I take the IBF's order. I have been in camp since January preparing for Kameda. I am going to take a week off for my body to recover and the start my camp for Arnold."

The IBF wrote to Nathan last week and the letter from this New York-based boxing body reads in part:

"Within three days of March 8 2024 or no later than March 11 2024, you should contact this office in writing advising your availability. In the event we do not hear from you in writing by 5pm on March 11 2024, we will assume that you do not wish to participate in this elimination process and proceed down the list of rankings to the next available contender."