The 27-year-old South African will face old rival Regie Suganob on Saturday in Tagbilaran City, The Philippines.

"I once defended my title against him in my country, won the fight fair and square," Nontshinga (14-2, 11 KOs) told The Ring. "Now we're fighting an IBF title eliminator.

"He's a good boxer with experience, but I'm going to take it away from him."

Nontshinga, The Ring's No. 7-rated contender at 108 pounds, feels a lot has changed for both since their July 2023 meeting in the Eastern Cape.

"I'm more mature and do boxing for different reasons now, to leave a legacy and pave the way for every young kid in my country," Nontshinga said. "I've developed a lot, regained my strength and become a proper fighter. He has fought five fights after me, won all of them and I'm expecting him to bring a different game to me this time."

Nontshinga, who arrived in Tagbilaran City alongside his trainer Colin Nathan on September 6, has warned his opponent against being caught up in the past.

"If he brings the old [fighting style], he's going to go. I'm going to knock him out early," he said. "If he doesn't stay composed, wait for perfect opportunities ... if he's reckless, he must consider himself gone.

"I'm bringing the best side of me, a side the boxing world hasn't witnessed yet. It's the combination of all my fights, I have evolved into the person you will see on September 12."

Nontshinga is happy to be fighting overseas and highlights some of his finest moments were on away terrain.

"I believe great athletes don't fold under pressure, they perform very well under pressure, and I've showed the boxing world [that capability] because I won both of my world titles in Mexico," he pointed out.

"Me fighting in his backyard doesn't affect me at all. I love to fight in the opponent's backyard. I don't feel pressure at all, just become cool, calm and collected and use my boxing IQ as well."

He has moved from the Eastern Cape to Johannesburg, a decision amplifying his desire to become world champion again as he'll stay closer to his trainer and gym.

However, his training camp was hit with the sudden, tragic loss of his close friend and mentor Zolani Tete.

"It's a kind of inspiration and motivation," he said. "I grew up looking up to him. My first encounter was him defending his WBF world title in 2007. I was still a kid and that's when I fell in love with boxing, watching him.

"He helped me several times, preparing for my eliminator with Christian Araneta in 2021 and when I won the world title [in Mexico against Hector Calixto], he came to the airport to pick me up. He was more like a big brother to me, may he rest in paradise."

Nontshinga hopes to use that memory to beat Suganob, before going on to become a three-time world champion.

"I came to claim my throne, to take over again," he said. "I've been a world champion. There were incredible fighters and I came out on top. Now all of those fighters decided to go to flyweight and junior bantamweight. I'm here, I'm still young and want to take back my throne, then become undisputed."

Suganob, The Ring's No. 6 junior flyweight, scored victories over compatriots Jake Amparo (UD8), Jerome Baloro (UD10) and Mark Vicelles (TD8) to earn the aforementioned IBF shot before falling short.

The 28-year-old has returned strongly with five consecutive wins and enters this encounter after an impressive eighth-round stoppage of the usually durable Siphamandla Baleni on February 28.