BRAVE CF bantamweight contender Hwende lost a decision to fellow contender Velimurad Alkhasov on his promotional debut at BRAVE CF 71 in June 2023, but since then, the former EFC world champion has registered back-to-back victories against undefeated opposition as he handed first losses to Mutolibsho Akobirov and Hurshed Nazarov to push his championship claims in BRAVE CF’s 135-pound division.
And with the reigning bantamweight champion, South Africa’s Nkosi Ndebele, awaiting the next challenge to his reign, Hwende says the time is right for him to get the next shot at the title.
“I did enough to secure this spot,” Hwende told BRAVE CF.
“From my debut at BRAVE CF 71 until my last fight, no one in the division has done more than I did to earn the challenger position. It is my time!”
Hwende has made no secret of his desire to go to the top of the bantamweight division, and he has already achieved that aim in South African promotion EFC. Now he’s looking to repeat the feat under the BRAVE CF banner.
To get to that goal, he’ll have to dethrone another African fighter looking to fly the flag for his nation. South Africa’s Ndebele won his epic world title trilogy with Jose “Shorty” Torres to capture, then retain, the 135-pound title, and the potential for an all-African championship would be a historic moment for BRAVE CF, as well as an explosive contest.
It’s a bout Hwende says he’d relish.
“Of course, I know that this means I will have to fight another African brother, Nkosi Ndebele,” he said.
“But I’ll do whatever it takes. I can’t wait to fight him!”
