If it's anything like the first fight I'm sure the fans would love it! However if Ndou's talked about bout with Gatti comes through I think he would take that first. He also may choose to fight D-Hop to get his mandatory out of the way...By Harry Summers Jnr: One wouldn’t have blamed transplanted Australian (Tunisian born) "Chocolata" Naoufel Ben Rabah if he stepped away from the fight game after a career-reducing battle with fellow transplanted countryman Lovemore "Black Panther" N’dou. On February 4 the two top-tier 140lbers waged war in a grudge match that even with its considerable build-up exceeded all expectations (it’s a shoo-in for Australian fight of the year), with the 45-8-1 (30 KOs) veteran N’dou winning a true battle of attrition via stoppage in the 11th round. The fight was initially billed as an IBF eliminator, but with ex-champion Ricky Hatton opting not to fulfill his mandatory obligations next up, N’dou was upgraded to titleholder.
It was the second consecutive disappointment for the smooth-boxing Rabah,24-3-13), who boxes out of the Craig Christian-headed Harry’s Gym in Western Australia. Previous to the N’dou showdown, Rabah had emphatically outboxed and outlanded hard-nosed Colombian Juan Urango in a clash for the vacant IBF 140lb title (ESPN’s Teddy Atlas had Rabah ahead 117-111), yet the judges scored the fight unanimously for Urango. There was a robbery of monstrous proportions in Hollywood, Florida’s Seminole Hard Rock Arena that night.
But the 29-year-old Rabah keeps fighting on. He’s considered walking away following both these recent setbacks, but thereafter realized there’s still that fire within him. That desire to step inside that chamber of truth and someday hold aloft a world title; the one he rightfully should’ve attained and had opportunity to flaunt to family and friends last June.
Rabah is a competitor. He doesn’t particular want tune-ups at this stage. He’s screaming for another shot at N’dou. His conqueror. He acknowledges N’dou was the better man in February, but is confident he’ll equalize if and when they face off again. Many Australian fight enthusiasts would relish at the thought of a rematch between these two African-born warriors.
The 2000 Olympian’s management team put out a "substantial" offer to the Black Panther earlier this week for a June 3 rematch. In Australia. Site to be determined, but likely in Sydney. It would present N’dou with a career-high payday, and reportedly top the purses recently offered to him by American promoters.
The ball is now in N’dou’s court. Team Rabah respects his decision, whatever it is.
Rabah seeks Ndou rematch
Rabah seeks Ndou rematch
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Hurricane Hank
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 79
- Joined: 05 Aug 2004, 01:26
Well it seems that Ndou is now off Gatti's radar despite Ndou's best efforts:
Fightnews wrote: No opponent has been selected for Arturo Gatti in his tentative July 14 HBO fight in Atlantic City, New Jersey. However one fighter that can be ruled out is WBA super lightweight champion Lovemore Ndou, who has very publicly been calling out Gatti. "He is not being considered as a Gatti opponent, and feel free to quote me," said Main Events executive Donald Tremblay.
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Main Events is looking for a big-name foe. One name that has been discussed is former IBF junior welterweight champion "Cool" Vince Phillips. "Both men have KO power in both hands and are very aggressive fighters. If HBO makes this fight we will be in for a very exciting fight," Phillips' agent Brian Reed told Fightnews.com.
Another update on Ndou: He says at the moment he is not interested in a rematch with Rabah prefering to get soem big fights in the US. With the Gatti fight all but gone Ndou says a defense against D-Hop is now most likely. I can see that fight going two ways, either Ndou really takes it to Hopkins pouring on the presure and winning a SD or perhaps even a late TKO or it will be a boring fight where D-Hop fights a tactical fight taking no chances and scoring a UD. Lets all hope for the fomer option 
Re: Rabah seeks Ndou rematch
no rematch but god their fight was an absolute WAR.
anybody else see it?
anybody else see it?