IBF Approves Lerato Dlamini-Arnold Khegai in July 13 Featherweight Eliminator

The IBF has authorized placement of its featherweight eliminator for July 13 in Johannesburg, South Africa, meaning second-ranked Lerato Dlamini (20-2, 11 KOs) will enjoy home cooking for his bout against third-ranked Arnold Khegai (21-1-1, 13 KOs), a Los Angeles-based Ukrainian.

As reported previously, TGB Promotions submitted a top purse bid of $71,000 for the bout, meaning South Africa’s Dlamini will earn $53,250 and Top Rank-promoted Khegai will collect $17,750.

The winner will not only be poised to meet IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) of Mexico, but also could be elevated to champion should Lopez opt to move up a division.

While Dlamini and Khegai’s earnings are sparse for now, the featherweight division has taken on increased significance amid speculation that unbeaten four-division champion Naoya Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs) of Japan is considering a move up in weight. Inoue now stands as the sport’s pound-for-pound king and undisputed junior featherweight champion.