Former African Boxing Union, South African, IBF Intercontinental, and IBO junior featherweight champion Ludumo Lamati, from Mdantsane, returned to action in style when he knocked out the rugged Filipino Mark Anthony Geraldo in the fourth round, in a featherweight contest scheduled for ten rounds on Thursday night at the Durban Casino in Durban.
There was very little in in through the first round with neither fighter landing any scoring punches.
However, in round two Lamati (57kg) from Mdantsane, who fights out of Johannesburg, picked up the pace to score with rights to the head of the southpaw Geraldo (58,80kg).
In the third round the bigger Lamati, 30, continued to score with the cleaner punches.
It was a determined Lamati who came out fast at the bell in the fourth round to dominate before he landed a short right to the body that left the 31-year Geraldo clutching his side in pain where he was counted out by referee Sihle Zungu.
This was a fine win for Lamati, with Geraldo being stopped inside the distance for only the third time.
Lamati improved his record to 21-0-1; 11 and Geraldo’s record dropped to 38-12-3; 17
The unused judges were Thokozani Ncube, Eric Khoza and Sipho Zondo.
In the main supporting bout Maduzi Mzimela won the vacant KwaZulu/Natal junior featherweight title on a ten-round split decision against Sanele Maduna.
The scores were 96-93 and 95-94 for Mzimela and 96-93 for Maduna.