# Nkosinathi Joyi

Nkosinathi Joyi (born 1 January 1983 in Mdantsane, South Africa), is a South African professional boxer with a southpaw stance who goes by the nickname of "Mabere". Joyi is the former IBF Minimumweight world champion, he was ranked by BoxRec and The Ring Magazine as the number one boxer in the Minimumweight division. He is also the two-time and current IBO Minimumweight champion.

## Professional career

Joyi, who has fought his entire career in South Africa, made his professional debut on 28 April 2002 in Queenstown. He beat Dalisizwe Komani over the six round distance to make a winning start to his career. Joyi won his first minor championship on 24 April 2004, beating Mzikayse Foslare to win the South African minimumweight title.

### Minimumweight world title

The first major fight of his career came on 26 June 2009 in East London, where he fought the Filipino boxer Florante Condes in an IBF Minimumweight title eliminator. Joyi won the fight by a wide unanimous decision with scores of: 120–107 (twice) and 119–108. In his next fight, on 26 March 2010 and also in East London, Joyi challenged for the IBF title against the Mexican Raúl García. Joyi once again gained a unanimous points decision and claimed García's title, the scores were 119–109 (twice) and 118–110. On 29 January 2011, Joyi faced former WBC Minimumweight champion, Katsunari Takayama. Joyi appeared to be in full control of the bout until the third round, when an accidental clash of heads opened a deep cut along Takayama's hairline. Since four rounds had not been completed, the bout was ruled a no-contest. Joyi then defeated Takayama via a unanimous decision in a direct rematch on 30 March 2012 in East London. He had reportedly injured his left hand in the second round of that fight. Joyi's promoter Branco Milenkovic has planned to stage a unification match. However, two of the other three champions of the four major sanctioning bodies were Japanese. Although Japan's reigning world champions have been allowed to fight in a unification match with any champion of the four major sanctioning bodies since 28 February 2011, the WBC's Kazuto Ioka and the WBA's Akira Yaegashi were due to fight in their title unification bout. So, they were unavailable until at least June 2012.
In Joyi's first fight outside of South Africa, he suffered an upset knockout loss at the hands of local fighter Mario Rodriguez (14–6–4) in Sinaloa, Mexico on 1 September 2012.

## Professional boxing record

| 38 fights | 29 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 19 | 5 |
| By decision | 10 | 2 |
| Draws | 1 | 1 |
| No contests | 1 | 1 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 38 | Loss | 29–7–1 (1) | Abeid Zugo | KO | 4 (12) | 21 May 2021 | Kemmon Hall, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | |
| 37 | Loss | 29–6–1 (1) | Ayanda Ndulani | KO | 4 (12), 1:31 | 21 May 2021 | International Convention Centre, East London, South Africa | Joyi was overweight and forfeited the IBO mini-flyweight title regardless of the result |
| 36 | Win | 29–5–1 (1) | Joey Canoy | UD | 12 | 16 Dec 2019 | International Convention Centre, East London, South Africa | Won vacant IBO mini-flyweight title |
| 35 | Draw | 28–5–1 (1) | Siphamandla Baleni | TD | 3 (12), 1:17 | 27 Jul 2019 | International Convention Centre, East London, South Africa | For vacant WBO Global light-flyweight title |
| 34 | Win | 28–5 (1) | Nhlanhla Tyirha | UD | 12 | 7 Dec 2018 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | Retained WBO Africa light-flyweight title |
| 33 | Win | 27–5 (1) | Mpho Seforo | KO | 5 (10), 2:56 | 7 Dec 2018 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | Won vacant WBO Africa light-flyweight title |
| 32 | Loss | 26–5 (1) | Simphiwe Khonco | UD | 12 | 20 Nov 2016 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | For IBO mini-flyweight title |
| 31 | Win | 26–4 (1) | Luyanda Nkwankwa | PTS | 8 | 22 Apr 2016 | Orient Theatre, East London, South London | |
| 30 | Win | 25–4 (1) | Sinethemba Magibisela | TKO | 5 (10), 2:35 | 4 Sep 2015 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | |
| 29 | Loss | 24–4 (1) | Rey Loreto | TKO | 1 (12), 1:46 | 22 Mar 2015 | Mdantsane Indoor Centre, Mdantsane, South Africa | For IBO light-flyweight title |
| 28 | Loss | 24–3 (1) | Rey Loreto | KO | 3 (12), 0:49 | 1 Feb 2014 | Salle des etoiles, Monte Carlo, Monaco | For vacant IBO light-flyweight title |
| 27 | Win | 24–2 (1) | Benezer Alolod | KO | 9 (12), 2:48 | 31 Aug 2013 | Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa | Won WBC International light-flyweight title |
| 26 | Loss | 23–2 (1) | Hekkie Budler | SD | 12 | 15 Jun 2013 | Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa | For IBO mini-flyweight title |
| 25 | Win | 23–1 (1) | Walter Rojas | TKO | 1 (12), 2:13 | 8 Dec 2012 | Mdantsane Indoor Centre, Mdantsane, South Africa | Won vacant WBA International mini-flyweight title |
| 24 | Loss | 22–1 (1) | Mario Rodriguez | KO | 7 (12), 2:07 | 1 Sep 2012 | Gimnasio Municipal Luis Estrada Medina, Guasave, Mexico | Lost IBF mini-flyweight title |
| 23 | Win | 22–0 (1) | Katsunari Takayama | UD | 12 | 30 Mar 2012 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | Retained IBF mini-flyweight title |
| 22 | NC | 21–0 (1) | Katsunari Takayama | NC | 3 (12), 1:59 | 29 Jan 2011 | Carnival City, Brakpan, South Africa | IBF mini-flyweight title at stake; NC after Takayama was cut from an accidental head clash |
| 21 | Win | 21–0 | Raúl García | UD | 12 | 26 Mar 2010 | International Convention Centre, East London, South Africa | Won IBF mini-flyweight title |
| 20 | Win | 20–0 | Florante Condes | UD | 12 | 26 Jun 2009 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | |
| 19 | Win | 19–0 | Lorenzo Trejo | KO | 2 (12), 0:48 | 22 Nov 2008 | Mdantsane Indoor Centre, Mdantsane, South Africa | Retained IBO mini-flyweight title |
| 18 | Win | 18–0 | Sammy Gutiérrez | TKO | 7 (12) | 27 Jun 2008 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | Retained IBO mini-flyweight title |
| 17 | Win | 17–0 | Gabriel Pumar | KO | 1 (12), 2:31 | 16 Nov 2007 | Great Centenary Hall, Port Elizabeth, South Africa | Retained IBO mini-flyweight title |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Armando dela Cruz | KO | 2 (12), 1:28 | 4 Nov 2006 | Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa | Won vacant IBO mini-flyweight title |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Thobani Mbangeni | TKO | 2 (12), 1:39 | 22 Sep 2006 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | Retained South African mini-flyweight title |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Thulani Ndyamara | TKO | 1 (12), 2:58 | 1 Apr 2006 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | Retained South African mini-flyweight title |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Mawanda Sineko | KO | 6 (12) | 29 Oct 2005 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | Retained South African mini-flyweight title |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Mawanda Sineko | UD | 12 | 5 Mar 2005 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | Retained South African mini-flyweight title |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Wele Maqolo | UD | 12 | 28 Aug 2004 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | Retained South African mini-flyweight title |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Khuselekile Gada | TKO | 1 (12), 1:59 | 16 Jul 2004 | Great Centenary Hall, Port Elizabeth, South Africa | Retained South African mini-flyweight title |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Mzikayse Foslare | TKO | 1 (12), 1:32 | 24 Apr 2004 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | Won vacant South African mini-flyweight title |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Thembinkosi Blou | TKO | 2 (8) | 21 Feb 2004 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Elliot Tokona | TKO | 4 (6) | 6 Dec 2003 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Sakhumzi Mqadaru | TKO | 2 (6) | 2 Aug 2003 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Mlungiseleli Xokoloshe | UD | 10 | 5 Apr 2003 | Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Siyabulela Mejeni | TKO | 1 (6) | 14 Dec 2002 | Mdantsane Indoor Centre, East London, South Africa | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Khuselekile Gada | TKO | 2 (6) | 24 Aug 2002 | Gompo Hall, East London, South Africa | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Makhi Nokhele | TKO | 3 (6) | 15 Jun 2002 | Moses Twebe Hall, Dimbaza, South Africa | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Dalisizwe Komani | PTS | 6 | 28 Apr 2002 | Indoor Sports Centre, Queenstown, South Africa | |