Two Fights on the Schedule in September

Joshua Feldman and Yan Zak are scheduled to fight in separate bouts in September. A junior middleweight, Feldman will be fighting in his home town of Caper Town, Western Cape, South Africa on September 5. Zak, a cruiserweight, fights in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on September 9.

Feldman, 7-0 (3 KOs), will be 22 years old when he fights Emile Brits, a 30 year old from Cape Town with a record of 6-2 (3 KOs).

Zak is a 26 year old with a record of 8-0 (6 KOs). The resident of Ashdod, Israel faces Peter Mysoka, a 32 year old Tanzanian with a record of 14-1 (14 KOs).

The Jewish Boxing Blog will have full previews of both fights.

Joshua Feldman Poised for Hometown Return in August

Junior middleweight prospect Joshua Feldman is scheduled to return to the ring after a thirteenth-month layoff. The 21 year old is slated to fight at the Cabo Beach Club in his hometown of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa on August 15.

The 7-0 southpaw has been working with trainer Brandon Woods States-side at DLX Boxing in Las Vegas for about a year. When he first arrived at DLX, Feldman ran into Tomer Benny, a highly-touted amateur boxer from Israel.

Josh had been training with Colin Nathan, the world class trainer based in Johannesburg. Nathan, who runs No Doubt Management in addition to the Hot Box Gym, counts world champions among his large stable. Feldman has nothing but love and respect for Nathan, but he felt the move to the U.S. was the right decision at this stage in his career.

In Vegas, Feldman has been getting high-level sparring in preparation for his first pro fight in his hometown. His previous seven fights, three by KO, were in and around Johannesburg.

Jewish Boxing in 2025

The year in Jewish boxing was dominated by two newcomers with very different backstories and fighting styles. Yan Zak and Brooklyn Barwick are both in their mid-20s and both made their professional debuts this year, but the similarities stop there.

Zak, a 25 year old Israeli, is a decorated amateur. He won the gold medal at the U-22 European Championships a couple years ago and has competed - and even defeated - some of the very best amateurs in the world. He turned pro in May and ends the year with a record of 5-0 with 3 KOs against stiff competition. Zak is a terrific prospect, but the challenge will be to find opponents good enough that his skills won't regress. Hopefully, he refrains from picking up bad habits against foes who are not nearly as good as him.

Barwick, on the other hand, comes from the world of influencer boxing. The 26 year old American had no amateur experience before turning pro in March. In many ways, Zak and Barwick represent two divergent paths in the sport of boxing currently. Whereas the amateur standout Zak has only recently cultivated his social media presence, Barwick's social media game is ahead of her boxing ability. A brawler, Barwick has improved tremendously in her six pro fights, all knockout victories, feasting on inexperienced Latin American fodder. She talks a good game, but is also putting in the work in the gym, where she is catching up after a late start in boxing.

David Alaverdian returned from an extensive layoff with an impressive decision victory in February. He coached in Israel much of the year. Cletus Seldin won a decision in March, but recently came back with an adverse finding for PEDs before his last fight.

Joshua Feldman and Doron Zinman, who both won in February and again in May, have spent much of the year training Las Vegas under the tutelage of Brandon Woods. Lev Jackson came back and won two fights in Mexico this year, both by knockout. Odelia Ben Ephraim lost her fight. She was the B-side in Spain against a stylish undefeated prospect. Though Ben Ephraim's record was 0-1 and she had to leave her old gym because of pettiness from its management, her 2025 represented the best of boxing. She didn't look to pad her record; instead, she took on a difficult challenge, gave the fans a high-level and thrilling fight, and keeps working to get better.

Danielle Cohen and Devin Struben won their fights in 2025. David Malul not only took two decision victories, but started his own promotional company, in New York of all places, no easy task. Daniel Ivanovski was 2-0, both fights within eight days of each other. Yonatan Landman didn't fight this year, but is training hard and spoke with The JBB in February.

Past Jewish boxers Larry Boardman, "The Corn Belt Ace" Hymie Wiseman, "A Laborer in the Entertainment Business" Benny Franklin, "The Human Sponge" Alf Ros, "The Casino" Dino Berkowitz, "The Jewish Jolter" Ronnie Cohen, "The Conqueror of Jackie Fields" Harry Wallach, legendary promoter Don Elbaum, and Hall of Famer Jill Matthews were all remembered by The Jewish Boxing Blog this year.

On a personal note: I published several articles for other websites during the first half of the year. I hope to continue doing so in 2026. Away from boxing, 2025 was something of a monumental year for me professionally, which somewhat diverted my attention away from The JBB the last few months. Fans of Jewish boxing don't have to worry though, The JBB is committed to providing the fans with the usual quality of coverage about all things Jewish boxing past, present, and future. Thank you all for your support.

News and Notes

Cleaning up some news from the previous weekend: cruiserweight Daniel Ivanovski had been scheduled to fight in Kentucky last Saturday, but that entire card was cancelled a little while ago. Ivanovski is scheduled to put his 4-0 record on the line on August 16 in Greenville, North Carolina.

David Malul was briefly on the schedule to fight last Saturday. He observes Shabbat, which makes it difficult for him to fight on Saturdays during the summer because the sun sets so late in New York in those months.

Odelia Ben Ephraim has left the Blagnac Boxing Club. She's recovering from hand surgery, taking care of an injury that has plagued her for nearly two years. In the meantime, she signed with Insideout Boxing's Eoin Mundow.

Yonatan Landman has been working with famed trainer John David Jackson in Florida. The 7-0 flyweight has not been in the ring this year so far after a very busy 2024.

Brooklyn Barwick, now 2-0 with 2 KOs, is scheduled to come back to the ring on August 16. More details to come.

Boxing.5 Promotions is holding a tournament at Carnival City in South Africa on August 23. We'll see if Joshua Feldman and/or Doron Zinman fight on that card.

Joshua Feldman Shines in Tough Fight

Junior middleweight prospect Joshua Feldman won a tough fight against a game opponent, Siphiwe Ntombela, today at Big Top Arena in Carnival City, Gauteng, South Africa. Nicknamed "The Maccabee," Feldman's fluid boxing carried the fight against an unexpectedly stout challenge from the veteran journeyman.

From the opening chime, Feldman gracefully slipped Ntombela's shots and landed pinpoint counters of his own. He savagely ripped the body with either hand and worked in quite a few left uppercuts. A southpaw, Feldman's straight lefts - both leads and counters - were picture perfect. He landed them consistently throughout the fight. His smooth right hook found the target without fail.

Feldman put on a masterclass through nearly four rounds. Contrary to past fights, Ntombela became more resilient as the fight progressed. Previously, his punch resistance had waned late in fights, but he was at his best tonight. At the end of the fourth, he rocked Feldman. The 32 year old showed his left to land a short chopping right. Feldman was wobbled on the ropes at the end of the round. Though Ntombela finished the fourth strong, it really wasn't enough to overcome an otherwise dominant round by Feldman.

Ntombela carried his newly found momentum into the fifth and gave Feldman the worst round of his pro career thus far. He added clubbing rights to his chopping rights and backed up The Maccabee. Feldman had his moments in the round, particularly to the body, but it was a clear Ntombela round.

Heading into the sixth and final round, it was conceivable that Feldman was only up three rounds to two, if Ntombela was given the fourth with his late surge. That possibility made the last round paramount. Feldman came out with lefts to the body Ntombela answered back with a right to the body of his own. But Feldman's counters won the round. He even wobbled his rugged opponent with a straight left late in the fight.

The judges had the contest 59-55, 58-56, and 58-57 for Feldman, The Jewish Boxing Blog scored the bout 59-55 for Josh.

Though he punished Ntombela, who had been stopped eight times, the lack of a clean knockdown shouldn't be viewed as an indictment of Feldman's power. Josh could have added more combinations to his attack but at the risk of getting caught by Ntombela's short right. Ntombela fought the best fight of his career and deserves a lot of credit for his performance. He came to fight and was willing to go through the fire to try and win.

As for Feldman, he showed a load of skill, creativity, and grit in this fight. He believed he would be better as the competition improved, and he has shown that to be the case in his last two fights. He is now 7-0 with 3 KOs. Ntombela's record is a hard-fought 4-12 with 3 KOs

Joshua Feldman and Doron Zinman Both Make Weight, Opponents Miss

Junior Middleweight Joshua Feldman and featherweight Doron Zinman both made weight ahead of their bouts tomorrow at Big Top Arena in Carnival City, Gauteng, South Africa. Feldman's opponent Siphiwe Ntombela, and Zinman's opponent Ronaldo Sibisi, both missed weight by small margins on their first try. They were both given an hour to make weight and both were able to do so.

Zinman (2-0, 1 KO) weighed in first. He hit the scale at 125.3 pounds, the same as his debut. He was 125.5 for his last fight. Sibisi (debut) came in at 126.2 pounds, just over the featherweight limit. Zinman's trainer Colin Nathan yelled, "Overweight!" when he saw the scale. Sibisi, who will have a noticeable height advantage, briefly looked stunned before gaining his composure.

"I couldn't care less about him or his weight," Zinman told The Jewish Boxing Blog, noting that Sibisi made weight later so there was no issue. "I'm just focused on the task at hand. No disrespect, I'm just pumped to get to work."

After the face off, Zinman and Sibisi gave each other a respectful fist bump. View a preview of this four-round fight here.

Feldman (6-0, 3 KOs) came in at 153.8 pounds. The 20 year old from Cape Town has been remarkably consistent with his weight thus far in his career. His lightest weight has been 152.5 pounds while this ties his heaviest, a difference of just over a pound.

Ntombela (4-11, 3 KOs) was initially 154.4 pounds, just over the 154-pound junior middleweight limit. Nathan, who also trains Feldman, bellowed, "Overweight as well!" Ntombela rubbed his head and smiled sheepishly. On his second attempt, he weighed 153.9 pounds.

A 32 year old from Newcastle, Ntombela will make his sixth start at junior middleweight. Nine of his fights have been at welterweight. He had one at junior welterweight in which he weighed 136.5 pounds in 2020. This is on the heavy side for Ntombela, but not his heaviest. A seven-and-a-half year pro, he scaled 154 pounds early in his career.

A preview of this six-round fight can be found here.

Video of the weigh-in courtesy of SA Boxing Talk. The fights will be shown tomorrow on YouTube and DAZN.

Joshua Feldman to Face Siphiwe Ntombela

Junior middleweight Joshua Feldman is scheduled to face veteran Siphiwe Ntombela on May 24 at Big Top Arena in Carnival City, Guateng, South Africa. Ntombela is the right opponent for Feldman at this stage of the 20 year old's career.

Feldman, a native of Cape Town, is 6-0 with 3 KOs. He last fought back in February against Jonas Senga, the toughest test of Feldman's career to date. The fight was the first time he had gone as many as six rounds. A southpaw, Feldman is a developing a reputation as a skilled and athletic boxer. He can bang when necessary and has a good chin but is at his best when he can control the action from the outside.

Ntombela is a 32 year old from the coal mining town of Newcastle in the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal. A squat, muscular welterweight, he doesn't have the best record at 4-11 (3 KOs) and has been stopped in 8 of his 11 losses. But he is considerably better than his record suggests. He has often been in tough as the B-side with eight of his losses coming against fighters with a winning record. He has also done well in fights he ultimately lost by KO.

Ntombela began his pro career in 2017 and was 3-2 before he racked up a string of losses. His knockout losses have almost all come late fights. He has shown an ability to withstand trouble early, but his punch resistance wanes as the fight progresses. Against Lybon Ntshani, a fight that Feldman's trainer Colin Nathan broadcasted, Ntombela was rocked in the first, dominated the next few rounds until a left hook in the fifth scrambled his senses and the fight was mercifully stopped.

Ntombela took his next fight, against Jacques Mavud, on short notice and was out of shape, spending much of the fight moving on the perimeter until body shots by Mavud ended the fight in the fifth. He next fought Wassim Chellan by boxing and moving. He survived a third round knockdown and finished the six-round fight strong, but lost by unanimous decision.

In 2023, Feldman and his friend and fellow boxer Doron Zinman watched from the balcony at Booysens Boxing Club as Ntombela pressed the action against a tall, slender southpaw named Aaron Muteba. Muteba countered well, and got the knockout in the fourth round with an uppercut which he set up with lots of well-placed body shots. Last year, Ntombela was competitive against prospect Almighty Creed Moyo in several rounds. Moyo, who had Nathan in his corner, went to the body and eventually wore down the journeyman, setting up a head shot for the knockout.

Ntombela has average handspeed and good power. Although the results suggest otherwise, he has improved a lot in recent fights. He used to circle into the opponent's backhand, but his movement is now less predictable. He doesn't throw many jabs and lunges when he does let it go, but he seems to have mostly corrected a flaw where his right hand moved away from his face as he jabbed. He likes to use the left hook and has a powerful overhand right.

Feldman, who was convinced to work with strength and conditioning coach Ignatius Loubser for this camp by Zinman, sparred with Boyd Allen. Of Ntombela, Feldman told SA Boxing Talk, "He's a come-forward fighter. You could call him a journeyman, but I know he's going to be game and comes to fight."

Though he hasn't always done so, Ntombela will likely press forward, so Feldman could counter and dig to the body. The uppercut may be the ticket as Ntombela has a bad habit of bringing his head in front of his lead foot.

"I want to make a statement this fight," Feldman said, "and these guys, even though they might be tough, they're not on my level. I feel like once I stop this guy, I'm going to be ready for an eight-rounder and soon to be a ten-rounder."

Feldman-Notmbela is scheduled for six rounds.

Josh Feldman and Doron Zinman Back in Action on May 24

Junior middleweight Joshua Feldman and featherweight Doron Zinman are scheduled to be back in the ring on May 24 at Carnival City, outside Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa on a tournament promoted by Boxing 5 Promotions.

This will mark the third time the friends will have fought on the same pro card. Zinman made his pro debut on November 23 with a unanimous decision victory over Masibulele Mjoli while Feldman scored a first round TKO victory over Brian Shakoane on the same card. On February 21, it was Zinman's turn to win by first round TKO when he stopped Nhlakhanipho Phungula. Feldman boxed intelligently in defeating Jonas Senga by unanimous decision.

Zinman (2-0, one KO) will be partaking in only his third pro fight. At this stage, the 20 year old simply needs more ring experience, so a step-up opponent isn't yet necessary. Feldman (6-0, 3 KOs) turned pro a year earlier than his pal. He has fought in two scheduled six-rounders and gone the full six-round distance once. An opponent of a similar caliber as Senga makes sense for the 20 year old from Cape Town.

Opponents have yet to be announced for the two Jewish South African fighters.

Joshua Feldman on the Senga Fight

About an hour or so after his unanimous decision victory over Jonas Senga this past Friday, Joshua Feldman seemed to be a bit disappointed in his performance. He felt he could've done better and stopped his opponent.

Asked about why he felt he could've stopped Senga, Feldman told The Jewish Boxing Blog, "I don't know if he didn't want to be there, but I just felt like I wanted to be there more.

"There was a point where I hurt him to the body and I heard him go like [grunt]. I heard him exhale very loudly. It was those kind of moments where if I pushed the gas maybe a little bit more and went downstairs more, I could've forced the stoppage. It would've been hard to put him down. I just don't think he was the type of guy to actually go down. But the ref could've stepped in if I pushed the gas a little bit more."

That very well might be true as Senga visibly tired during the second half of the fight, but he was still dangerous throughout. After watching the fight later, Feldman's assessment changed. 

"It would've been stupid to risk pressing the gas too much in the last round and maybe get knocked out or hurt, because he was a big puncher. I knew if I just boxed and used my jab in the last round, I would've got the win on points."

Feldman played it right. Up big on the cards against a tough guy with power, there was no sense in taking a reckless chance in the hopes that the referee might jump in to stop the fight.  The 20 year old junior middleweight from Cape Town understands this, "I can't afford to lose this early in my career."

To begin the fight, Feldman quickly decided to box Senga, a fellow southpaw. He stayed with that strategy most of the way. "Even though he was a southpaw and he was a smart boxer, I knew that my boxing skills are better than his," Feldman said. "There were times when I was setting him up with little traps and he was falling for it. I knew I could easily outbox this guy even though he's very strong. I felt I was in a little better condition than him, so that if my output was more and I didn't let him hit me, I was just going to coast through the rounds."

But there were times Senga was able to land flush counters. Feldman took the shots well and appeared unfazed by the blows. When complimented on his chin, Feldman sheepishly replied, "No boxer wants to say they have a good chin; it's not something I'm proud of." That's because he doesn't want it to be tested. "I do know I've taken some big shots in sparring and in a couple of fights. I've never gone down from a headshot," he said. "I definitely trust my chin a lot."

The Senga fight wasn't the first time his chin has been put to the test. He got plenty of hard sparring at the Blood, Sweat, and Tears Gym in Cape Town, and now gets those tough sparring sessions at the Hot Box Gym in Johannesburg.

"I knew that he hit very hard," Feldman said of Senga. "I did think that if he lands clean he could hurt me, but never in the fight was I hurt."

With the win, Feldman is now 6-0 with 3 KOs. He hopes to have an active year in the ring. As Josh says, It's "on to the next."

Joshua Feldman Boxes to UD Victory

Joshua Feldman outboxed Jonas Senga on his way to a wide unanimous decision victory in a six-round affair at The Box Camp in Johannesburg, Guateng, South Africa today.

Feldman boxed and moved most of the fight against Senga, a fellow southpaw. The 20 year old from Cape Town repeatedly switched up the direction he circled, forcing Senga to become almost exclusively a counterpuncher. Senga landed some spiteful short counters, particularly in the first round, but Feldman typically led the exchanges and also punctuated them.

Senga's best round was the first. He connected with a right hook to the head, one to the body, and a short counter left. Feldman's right hooks to the body punished Senga's midsection, setting the tone for the rest of the fight.

Senga was still competitive in the second with his sharp counters, but he was outworked. By the third Senga was tired. Feldman's sustained body assault wore down his opponent. The fourth went badly for Senga, except for a few eye-catching right hooks. Feldman moved smoothly and picked apart Senga's midsection. He landed some clean headshots that clearly staggered Senga.

The fifth was a microcosm of the fight. Feldman outboxed Senga, who had a couple of bright moments with his counter right, but Senga's mouth was perpetually agape. He looked spent in the corner after each round. Referee Brian Ncapai took a point from Senga for a litany of minor offenses which finally went too far when he kept shoving Feldman's head down.

Feldman boxed smartly in the sixth. At one point, he threw a right hook, slipped under the counter, and came back ready to fire. Incorporating more of those slick moves will be the next step in Feldman's progression. To his credit, Senga went for broke in the final ten seconds.

All three judges scored the bout for Feldman. One had it 60-53, which shocked Senga. The JBB also had it 60-53, and there really weren't any close rounds except for maybe the first. Another judge had it 59-54. Riann Rensburg's score was announced as 57-54, a preposterous score that was misread by the ring announcer. The score should've read 59-54. Feldman is now 6-0 with 3 KOs, and Senga falls to 2-3 with 2 KOs.

Zinman and Feldman Make Weight

Doron Zinman and Joshua Feldman made weight ahead of their separate bouts tomorrow at The Box Camp, formerly known as Booysens Box Camp, in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. Feldman's opponent Joseph Senga comfortably made junior middleweight, but Zinman's opponent Nhlakanipho Phungula came in over the featherweight limit.

Zinman (1-0) weighed 125.55 pounds, which is right about where he was for his pro debut in November. Phungula, nicknamed "The Grand Maestro," couldn't orchestrate a proper weight cut for his pro debut and came in at 127.76 pounds, over a pound a half more than the 126-pound limit. After his weight was announced, the taller Phungula apologized to the Buzzsaw, saying, "Sorry about that," as he extended his hand. Zinman was gracious and accepted the apology.

Generally speaking, an opponent missing weight is very frustrating for boxers. Both fighters sign a contract and are expected to honor the deal, which states they must make weight. Cutting weight is extremely difficult. "It feels like you might die," former boxer turned promoter Dmitriy Salita once told The Jewish Boxing Blog. It's unfair for only side to have to do it. There's also a reason why boxing is divided into weight classes; a discrepancy in weight can be an advantage for the heavier boxer if their skill levels are even enough.

As part of Zinman's training, he sparred with "a ton of great guys," including world champion Phumelele Cafu, quality veteran Sikho Nqothole, prospect Tumelo Mphalele, and Sinenkosi Mlotshwa who is also on the card. "It was a phenomenal camp," Zinman told The JBB. "I'm ready to perform tomorrow."

Feldman (5-0, 3 KOs), who like Zinman is a 20 year old from Cape Town, weighed 153.55 pounds. He is a pillar of consistency and professionalism when it comes to his weight. This is Josh's seventh pro weigh-in as one fight was canceled at the last moment. He's always made the 154-pound limit, and his weight has always been within a pound and a quarter. Senga (2-2, 2 KOs) came in at 149.7 pounds, which is right about where he has been for his four fights. He told SA Boxing Talk that he is straddling the welterweight and junior middleweight divisions, which is consistent with his weight.

Despite a two-fight losing streak and a 16-month layoff, Senga is confident. Of Feldman, he said, "He's a good boxer, but it's my time." Feldman is ready, too. His main sparring partner was a familiar face, Creed Moyo, who's fighting soon as well. "We had fantastic sparring this camp!" Feldman told The JBB.

After the weigh-in, Feldman replenished his body with fruit and cereal. Zinman ate fruit and pasta after downing rehydration drinks.

Zinman's fight is scheduled for four rounds while Feldman's is slated for six. The event will be streamed on DAZN and Vision View tv. 

To view the weigh-in, watch SA Boxing Talk's coverage. The JBB's preview of the Zinman fight is here and of the Feldman fight is here.

Joshua Feldman to Face Jonas Senga Next Month

Joshua Feldman is scheduled to face Jonas Senga on February 21 at Box Camp Booysens in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. Feldman's fight will be broadcast on DAZN.

The 20 year old Maccabean Spiderman is a native of Cape Town and has a record of 5-0 with 3 KOs. He posted an impressive performance in his last fight this past November. Jonas Senga signifies a slight step up for Feldman.

From Johannesburg, Senga is 2-2 with 2 KOs. He won his first two bouts in 2022 and then dropped two in 2023. He was scheduled to fight last month in the Elimin8 tournament which was cancelled.

Senga started aggressively in his most recent fight against Douniama Gislain. Senga tends to load up on big punches, which do pack power. He doesn't often jab and doesn't have the best balance. In his fight against Eric Jeancy Mayamba, who was once scheduled to be an opponent for Feldman, Senga let himself get hit too often even though he came back to win by TKO in the second round. Jonas has shown a good chin. In his stoppage loss to Gislain, he was never knocked down.

Feldman should be cautious out the gate and wary of Senga's wild counters, but smart boxing early and letting his hands go once he's in control, should be the ticket to victory.

Senga is a devout Christian, who unfortunately shared a video on Facebook last October that suggests Jews and others who doesn't accept Jesus Christ as their Lord, are doomed to spend the afterlife in Hell. Now, I don't claim to know the eternal resting place for Jonas Senga's soul, but in this six round fight, he's likely going down.

Year in Review: 2024

This year was defined by young prospects in the early stages of their careers. Yonatan Landman started his 7-0 with 7 KOs this year. Joshua Feldman went 3-0 with 3 KOs. David Malul scored two knockout victories to get his career rolling. Daniel Ivanovski went 2-0 with two KOs to start his career. Benny Nizard and Doron Zinman both won their debuts. The oldest of these prospects is just 23 years of age. It's an exciting time to be a fan of Jewish boxing!

More established Jewish boxers didn't see much action in 2024. Cletus Seldin won his one fight back in March. Odelia Ben Ephraim dropped her two fights, both for titles. For others, it was a case of canceled fights.

The Jewish Boxing Blog not only covered the current scene, but also looked back at several past Jewish boxers. They include Phil Lolosky, Joey Silver, Stuart Finer, Mushy Callahan, Willie Jackson, Joey Kaufman, Haim Zilberschmidt, Mike Clancy, and Soldier Bartfield. The JBB also provided an overview of Jewish boxers in China.

The JBB conducted some memorable interviews with Ira Berkow, Lev Jackson, and David Malul. Books reviewed this year include Then the World Moved On, The Promise of Women's Boxing, Smash Hit, Murder on Federal Street, and The Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame.

A special thank you to the readers of The Jewish Boxing Blog and to the supporters on Buy Me a Coffee. I'd also like to publicly thank the boxers who took the time to offer their insights throughout the year. 

Joshua Feldman Analyzes His Latest Knockout Win

This past Saturday, Joshua Feldman dominated Brian Shakoane on route to a first round stoppage victory. The 5-0 junior middleweight from Cape Town, South Africa discussed the fight today with The Jewish Boxing Blog.

"Quite honestly, I actually didn't have any game plan for the fight coming in," Feldman revealed. "It was mostly just getting in the ring and deciding on the go how I was going to assess the fight." That Josh didn't have a game plan was a surprising revelation. Not because it showed any lack of preparation as boxers often don't have game plans, especially when fighting opponents without many pro fights, but because he improvised such an effective strategy so quickly.

That strategy involved attacking the body and then moving out of harm's way, which prevented Feldman from getting caught by one of Shakoane's wild powerful swings and kept the taller southpaw safe from any accidental headbutts since Shakoane has been known to lead with his head.

"His hands were very high up," Feldman explained, "and I threw a couple shots to the body. I felt him wince and I could see he didn't like the body shots."

After a minute and five seconds of landing to the body and then moving, Feldman decided to change strategy and stay inside.

"I could feel that he was pretty strong," Josh analyzed, "so I thought that if I come inside and smother him, he won't be able to hit me, because he has no leverage. So when I went inside, I knew if I keep my shots short, I could hit him to the body. But if I keep my head into his chest, he won't be able to hit me."

The result was an impressive stoppage a minute and 23 seconds into the fight and Josh's third professional knockout. "I would've liked a longer fight," he admitted. In the heat of battle, he thought the fight was stopped a bit too early, but after watching the film, he now thinks it was a good stoppage. The JBB concurs; Shakoane was on the verge of getting seriously hurt.

Feldman has come a long way in a little over a year as a pro. "My biggest improvement comes from being more relaxed in the ring," he said. "I'm feeling a lot more comfortable and calm, so I'm able to pick my shots much better, instead of just throwing aimlessly like I felt I've done in the past." It was a very astute observation as his punch selection was bit haphazard in his first two fights. But against Shakoane, that calm under fire allowed him to immediately find a spot-on strategy to avoid damage, land cleanly, and win quickly.

"I also feel my body shots and punch placement has improved the most actually," he concluded. Equally as impressive as finding the right strategy on the fly was Josh's body work. Most young fighters- Josh is only 20- don't target the body in any sustained fashion.

"Now I'm excited to step up the level of competition," Josh declared. His fans are excited to watch him meet those coming challenges.

Zinman Wins Tough Debut; Feldman Impresses

Joshua Feldman and Doron Zinman both won their fights at Box Camp Booysens in Johannesburg, South Africa today. Feldman shined in a first round TKO victory over Brian Shakoane while Zinman overcame a tough opponent, Masibulele Mjoli, scoring a knockdown to win by unanimous decision.

Feldman, a 20 year old junior middleweight nicknamed "The Maccabee," came out hammering Skhakoane's body and then moving to get out of range. Shakoane,  a 32 year old from South Africa's Northwest province, went for broke firing hard wild shots at the taller Feldman. Josh, a southpaw from Cape Town, executed his strategy of sticking the body and moving expertly. "He came out rushing me," Feldman said after the fight, "and I picked my shots [well.]"

About a minute in, Josh got in close to Shakoane and dug a right hook to the body on an angle. He sensed Shakoane weakening and then stayed in close, firing well-placed combinations without stifling his work. Shakoane backed up to the ropes and ate several clean blows before referee David Van Nieuwenhuizen jumped in a minute and 23 seconds into the opening round.

Just before Van Nieuwenhuizen waved off the contest, Feldman turned his back to his defeated foe in a stone cold display of badassery. Improving to 5-0 with 3 KOs, Feldman impressed in this fight. He had a clear game plan, adjusted when the situation changed, and finished the opponent quickly- all in under half a round. After the fight, he declared, "Whoever they put in front of me, I'll take out." Shakoane is now 1-4 with one KO.

Doron "Buzzsaw" Zinman, also a 20 year old from Cape Town, started his fight pressuring Mjoli, a 20 year old nicknamed "Hurricane." Both men came out fighting in the opening minute of their pro careers. The taller Mjoli proved to be a very tough B-side for a pro debut. He effectively countered Zinman's offense early in the fight, landing straight and looping rights to the head just before Zinman could land his wider shots.

Midway through the first round, Zinman scored with an overhand right while Mjoli was on the ropes, which convinced the Hurricane to downgrade his attack to just a rainstorm. Mjoli connected with a  couple of left hooks the rest of the round, but not much else. Zinman's left eye was marked up by the end of the torrid three minutes of action.

Mjoli used the jab to stick-and-move in the second which negated Zinman's pressure. Doron showed good defense slipping under Mjoli's straight attempts. Zinman's overhand rights were the most powerful punches of the round, but Mjoli boxed well. He landed a nice one-two and found a home for his straight right.

Both of the first two rounds were close with Zinman landing the harder shots but Mjoli's punches more precise. The Jewish Boxing Blog gave both rounds to Mjoli, which meant Zinman was in a serious hole even to come away with a draw.

The blond buzzsaw responded by dominating the third round. He doubled up his jab, landed left hooks, straight rights, counter straighter rights, and generally showed a lot more variety in his offense. He knocked Mjoli around the ring like a pinball. Zinman, a shorter pressure fighter, was headhunting though. When he launched a left hook to the body and then followed with a crunching right to the head, Mjoli went down in pain. Masibulele showed a lot of heart to get back up.

Mjoli boxed well at range to start the fourth round, but it soon turned into all-out running in the face of Zinman's pressure. When Mjoli tried to hold, Doron kept pounding away with his free hand, the right. Toward the end of the fight, he scored with a punishing left hook and a couple of menacing overhand rights in succession.

Zinman looked very good in the third round, showing an educated punch selection. He had a great motor and clear power, but some flaws too. He threw- and got away with- some careless punches: including a lead left uppercut and a leaping left hook. He chased the agile Mjoli a bit too often instead of cutting off the ring. And the shorter pressure fighter neglected the body too much. When he did go downstairs, he scored a knockdown.

The judges' scores were announced 40-35, 38-37, and curiously 37-35, a score that is nonsensical and was hopefully read incorrectly, (it was, it was actually 38-37) all for Doron. The JBB scored it 38-37 for Zinman.

After the fight, Doron acknowledged, "He was a game opponent. I was glad I got the knockdown." He hopes to fill up the calendar next year with fights. "This is the beginning of the rest of my life," Zinman said. "I'm so grateful."

Feldman, Zinman, Opponents Weigh In

Junior middleweight Joshua Feldman and featherweight Doron Zinman fight in separate bouts tomorrow at Box Camp Booysens in Johannesburg, South Africa tomorrow. The tournament is promoted by Boxing 5 Promotions.

Feldman (4-0, 2 KOs) weighed in at 153.4 pounds. Though this is his fifth fight, it's his seventh weigh-in. His weight has been between 152.5 and 154 pounds each time, which shows remarkable professionalism on his part. His opponent, Brian Shakoane (1-3, 1 KO), came in at 152.7 pounds. Throughout his career he has been the B-side, so he's taken fights in different classes. His lightest weight was 140.5 pounds for his debut in 2019. His heaviest was 157 for a KO victory last month.

After the weigh-in Feldman ate a bowl of cereal with bananas and a bagel with honey. He let that digest and then continued to load up on carbs with a pizza.

Zinman, and his opponent Masibulele Mjoli, are both making their pro debuts tomorrow. Zinman was 125.3 pounds while Mjoli was 126.5, a half pound over the limit. After the weigh-in, Zinman downed one and a half liters of rehydration drinks. He then chowed down on a fresh homemade bagel with butter, salt, and raw honey. Doron followed up his meal with more rehydration drinks.

Both Feldman and Zinman credited nutritionist Finn Kenny with helping them make weight.

Feldman's fight against Shakonae is scheduled for six rounds. A preview can be found here. Zinman's contest against Mjoli is slated for four rounds. A preview can be found here.

The show will be broadcast on DAZN and Vision View TV, starting at 7pm in Johannesburg and Tel Aviv and noon in New York. Clips from the weigh-in can be viewed on the SA Boxing Talk YouTube page.

New Opponent for Joshua Feldman

Joshua Feldman was scheduled to fight Tumi Nakedi on November 23 at Box Camp Booysens in Johannesburg, South Africa. Nakedi is now out and Brian Ontshiametse Shakoane is the new opponent.

Feldman is a real-life Spiderman. Just before his debut, he was bit by a spider, which must have been radioactive because the 20 year old from Cape Town has looked superhuman on his way to a 4-0 record with 2 KOs. He doesn't shoot webs from his hands, though, just straight lefts and right hooks.

The southpaw last fought on September 20 and earned a dominating first round knockout victory. "I was pretty pissed off because the guy never made weight," Josh told SA Boxing Talk. "I was coming to hurt him in that fight."

Shakoane is a 31 year old who grew up in Brits, North-West, South Africa. A tough guy, Brian sports a noticeable scar across his left cheek. He has been boxing for over ten years and turned pro in 2019. Since then, he has amassed a record of 1-3.

Unlike Feldman's previous two opponents, there's no doubt Shakoane will come to fight. In his debut against Ashton Davis, he showed a crisp jab early. He reached with wide power punches, but launched his shots with mean intentions. Davis placed a combination to the body in the first round, which caused Shakoane to retreat to the corner and cover up. The referee waved off the bout shortly thereafter.

Two years later Shakoane was involved in a wild fight against the taller Xolani Selimane. Both men came out firing wild clubbing shots like the old Toughmen contests in the U.S. Shakoane was hampered by defective footwear as he kept sliding around the ring. His corner took off his shoes after the first round, and he actually fought the final three rounds barefoot. Brian managed to bloody Selimane's nose and score a knockdown in the fourth round, but a left hook to the body ended his chances.

In 2022, Phumelelo Cele stopped Shakoane in the first round, his third stoppage loss in three fights. But Brian came back last month to score his first career victory with a first round TKO win.

This fight will be a good test for Feldman. Shakoane has power, so Feldman will need to be a bit cautious early. He also leads with his head and since Josh is a southpaw, an accidental butt is a real possibility. Feldman can opt for straight counters down the middle, or uppercuts when Shakoane's head leans forward. The key to a knockout will be body shots, but that can be risky against a shorter fighter with power.

This bout is scheduled for six rounds, a distance neither fighter has gone yet. Feldman believes he'll be even better when his fights are scheduled for more rounds, which makes sense. In previous fights, he rushed his power punches, aiming for a knockout. With more time, he'll be able to establish his jab and and can take the time to set up his power punches. He's also a vicious body puncher, a skill which will have more effect in longer fights.

Feldman-Shakoane will be streamed on DAZN and Vision View TV.

Joshua Feldman to Fight Tumi Nakedi on November 23

Junior middleweight prospect Joshua Feldman is scheduled to fight Tumi Nakedi on November 23 at Box Camp Booysens in Johannesburg, South Africa. The tournament, promoted by Boxing 5, will also feature the debut of Josh's friend and fellow Jew, Doron Zinman.

Feldman is a real-life Spiderman. Just before his debut, he was bit by a spider, which must have been radioactive because the 20 year old from Cape Town has looked superhuman on his way to a 4-0 record with 2 KOs. He doesn't shoot webs from his hands, though, just straight lefts and right hooks.

The southpaw last fought on September 20 and earned a dominating first round knockout victory. "I was pretty pissed off because the guy never made weight," Josh told SA Boxing Talk. "I was coming to hurt him in that fight."

Feldman usually spends the first part of his camp in Cape Town at the Blood, Sweat, and Tears Gym before coming up to finish at the Hot Box Gym with Colin Nathan  in Johannesburg. This time, however, he came back to Johannesburg two and a half weeks after his last fight, a good bit earlier than usual. Josh also spars twice a week at Apex Gym because there are some guys in his weight class there.

Nakedi (1-3-1) is from Johannesburg and fought from 2016-2018. A southpaw, he throws punches from awkward angles. He has some skills; he slips punches and uses feints, but he's no Green Goblin. In his second fight against Steven Dewu, Nakedi threw quite a few lead left uppercuts starting from his socks, which is typically a recipe for disaster. That fight was nearly seven years ago, but if he does that against Josh, look for counter right hooks to find a home on Nakedi's face.

Nakedi last fought six and half years ago, so he brings a level of unpredictability to this fight. He was a junior welterweight back then, but it would be natural to grow a bit heavier in a half-dozen years.

This bout is scheduled for six rounds, a distance Nakedi completed in his last fight, a decision loss to Bheki Mahlangu. This will be Feldman's first scheduled six-rounder. "I don't expect it to go the distance," he told SA Boxing Talk, "but I'm definitely prepared to go six rounds." Feldman believes he'll be even better when his fights are scheduled for more rounds, which makes sense. In previous fights, he rushed his power punches, aiming for a knockout. With more time, he'll be able to establish his jab and and can take the time to set up his power punches. He's also a vicious body puncher, a skill which will have more effect in longer fights.

Feldman-Nakedi will be streamed on DAZN and Vision View TV.

Update: Feldman is now scheduled to fight Brian Shakoane.

Joshua Feldman Back on November 23

Joshua Feldman is scheduled to fight next on November 23. The talented 20 year old from Cape Town, South Africa is 4-0 with two knockouts in young career.

In his first two fights, Josh faced tough opponents for a young fighter. His first foe was poised and skilled. His second was shifty and awkward. The last two opponents have been less willing to engage. Feldman stopped both of them.

Josh has been consistent that he wants to test his skills, so hopefully his next opponent will come to fight. Feldman splits his training between Cape Town and Johannesburg. All four of his fights have been at Box Camp Booysens in Jo'burg.

Joshua Feldman Stops Muyaya in the First

"I'm going to take over this division. I'm going to be the next junior middleweight world champion from South Africa," declared Joshua Feldman after his first round TKO victory over the hapless Henry Muyaya today at Box Camp Booysens in Johannesburg, South Africa. Feldman was clearly several classes above Muyaya, who attempted to quit twice complaining of a hand injury.

Both men came out of the starting blocks looking for a quick knockout. Muyaya, the Malawian whose midsection resembled the laughing Buddha's rather than that of a finely tuned professional athlete, hoped to catch lightning in a bottle. Catching Feldman cold was his only hope. Feldman was a rabid caged animal who hadn't been tossed fresh meat to devour since March.

Muyaya's punches were slow and his follow-through knocked him off balance. Feldman landed a sharp counter left to persuade Muyaya to stop throwing. The two clinched and Feldman landed a hard right hook to Muyaya's soft belly.

Muyaya's mouthpiece partially popped out and he walked away as if quitting. Referee Toto Shweni allowed the fight to proceed and Feldman jumped on Muyaya. Muyaya managed to break free from Feldman's assault, and stuck his mouthpiece out again. Feldman attacked again until Shweni jumped in and waved off the bout, a minute and 41 seconds into the fight. Muyaya shook his left hand and his trainer gingerly unwrapped his glove to examine it.

Feldman, who debuted the nickname "the Maccabee," didn't celebrate. Instead, he looked full of disdain for the way Muyaya quit. Josh had prepared for months, had one opponent drop out minutes before a fight in July, and now did not get the satisfying ending he clearly craved. After the fight, he told the crowd, "I was fighting with mean intentions," and it showed throughout the brief bout and immediately after it was halted.

Joshua Feldman is now 4-0 with 2 KOs while Henry Muyaya is 1-7 and should retire from the ring. He has been stopped four times in a row.