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South African Joshua Studdard, 10-2
(8), is looking to get his career
firmly on track after a stop-start
campaign so far.
On October 1 in Pretoria, he fights
fellow countryman Akani Sambu, 4-1-1
(3), for the vacant World Boxing
Federation (WBF) Intercontinental
Bantamweight title.
It has not been an easy road for
him. He turned pro in 2012, and won
his first seven bouts, six of them
inside the distance.
But in June of 2016 he lost a
decision to Ayanda Nkosi, 4-1 at the
time. Nkosi went on to become WBF
world champion, so no shame in that
set-back.
Studdard returned with a victory,
but was then beat again in December
of 2017, this time by Rofhiwa
Nemushungwa (10-4-2).
Following that defeat, he didn't
fight again for 27 months, and after
winning a bout in March of 2020 he
was again sidelined for another 30
months.
His last fight was in September of
2022, where he beat Lemogang Mapitsi
(6-6-1) by first round knockout, and
now he is putting everything on the
line in what will be his most
significant fight to date.
A victory over Sambu, who is
unbeaten since losing his pro debut,
will make up for a lot of the lost
time.
For Sambu it is a big opportunity to
make a break-through, and Studdard
needs to be on point on the night.
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