By Ian S Palmer
Tugstogt Nyambayar of Mongolia will be taking on Sakaria Lukas of Namibia in a 10-round featherweight tilt in Atlantic City this Saturday, January 22nd. The bout can be seen live in America on Showtime while fans in Canada can catch it on TSN 2. Nyambayar last fought in July when he dropped a unanimous decision to Chris Colbert in a shot at the interim WBA Super Featherweight Title while Lukas last fought in March when he beat Marco Alejandro Chable by an eight-round majority decision. Lukas is a late replacement for Vic Pasillas who pulled out earlier this week due to a positive Covid test.
The 29-year-old Nyambayar, who now resides in Los Angeles, enters the ring with a mark of 12-2 with 9 Kos for an impressive knockout ratio of 64.3 per cent. However, he’s gone the distance in his last four fights and in five of the last six. He has 86 rounds of experience under his belt since turning pro in 2015 following a successful and extensive amateur career.
He won silver at the 2009 AIBA World Championships in Italy, losing to McWilliams Arroyo of Puerto Rico in the final. He boxed at the 2010 Asian Games in China, made the quarterfinals at the 2010 World Youth Championships in Azerbaijan and boxed at the 2011 AIBA World Championships in Azerbaijan.
He then won silver at the 2012 Asian Olympic Qualifiers and took home a silver medal in the 52 kg division at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England. After that he boxed at the 2013 AIBA World Championships in Kazakhstan and the 2014 Asian Games in South Korea. He also boxed in the 2010/11 World Series of Boxing for the Baku Fires where he was beaten by former WBC Bantamweight Champion Nordine Oubaali of France on points.
Nyambayar fought Gary Russell Jr in February, 2020 in a shot at the WBC Featherweight Title and suffered his first pro defeat via a unanimous decision His biggest win came over Claudio Marrero for the vacant IBO Featherweight Title in January 2019 by unanimous decision and he’s also beaten Oscar Escandon by third-round stoppage in May, 2018. Nyambayar stands 5-feet-7-inches tall with a 67-inch reach.
As for Lukas, he’s 37 years old and enters the ring with a mark of 25-1 with 17 Kos. His only pro defeat came at the hands of Isaac Avelar by way of a 10-round unanimous decision in December, 2020. He’s boxed 132 rounds since making his pro debut in 2011 and has built up an impressive knockout ratio of 65.4 per cent. Lukas stands 5-feet-6-inches tall with a 69-inch reach so gives up one inch in height to Nyambayar but has a two-inch edge in reach.
Lukas has fought mainly in Africa against domestic opposition but has fought three times outside of his homeland as his last two bouts were held in Mexico and the one before that took place in Texas. He obviously has pretty good power in his fists but has never stepped in the ring against a recognizable opponent so is taking a big step up in class this weekend. Since turning pro after a short amateur career, Lukas has won the IBF Continental African Featherweight Title, the WBA Pan African Featherweight Crown and the WBO African Featherweight Belt.
Prediction…
Nyambayar is a fine boxer with pretty good power, a solid chin and plenty of amateur experience while the 37-year-old Lukas isn’t really in the same class. If both guys bring their A games this weekend the fans should be treated to an exciting fight though as Lukas has a puncher’s chance but I’m expecting Nyambayar to have his hand raised in victory.
