Reyes vs Ngxeke Predictions: Belt-chasing bantamweights hit the big time

Unbeaten Mexican Jose Salas Reyes takes on Landile Ngxeke for the vacant IBF bantamweight title this Saturday, December 13. The fight takes place at Explanada Gustavo A. Madero in Mexico City. ESPN televises in Mexico and South America. This world title bout is currently without a UK TV partner.

Read on for my Salas vs Ngxeke predictions ahead of this bantamweight battle.

Reyes vs Ngxeke Odds

Salas is priced at 2/13 to win the IBF belt. Ngxexe’s own title prospects sit at 9/2 while the draw is up at 22/1.

Reyes vs Ngxeke Fight Preview

This fight will clean up the final vacant title at 118lbs, after Junto Nakatani vacated the IBF and WBC straps to move up to super bantamweight. Takuma Inoue, brother of former bantamweight king and current undisputed super bantamweight boss Naoya, scooped up the WBC crown. Now the red and gold of the IBF finds a new home.

Reyes, better known as Jose Salas, has waited patiently for this opportunity. The Mexican was Nakatani’s mandatory challenger this summer, but he agreed to step aside and allow the Japanese star to fight WBC kingpin Ryosuke Nishida to crown a unified and The Ring magazine champion. The catch being that Salas would fight for the title in his next outing.

It was an open secret that Nakatani would head to super bantamweight if he beat Nishida, with an all-Japanese super-fight with Naoya Inoue the long-term plan. So Salas gets his make-good fight here with IBF number-four Ngxexe. 

Whoever advised Salas to hold fire while Nakatani was still stalking the division did the 23-year-old a fine service. While the Mexican shows all the signs of a special fight, he is not yet equipped for the sort of smoke ‘Big Bang’ brings. This looks like a gentler, more conducive route to a world crown.

What Salas can boast is an unbeaten record and decent wins over former flyweight title contender Aston Palicte and then-unbeaten Prince Dzanie. The rest of the names on his 16-0 ledger (10 KOs) are moderate at best. But that is not uncommon at this stage in a young career, even if you’d like to see a fighter do a little more before securing a title shot.

Ngxexe had a difficult start to his professional campaign, drawing in his debut against one Phumelela Cafu. That result has aged well, given the fact Cafu has since reigned as WBO super flyweight champion.

The only other blemish on the docket of Ngxexe is to noted puncher Jayr Raquinel in 2022. The Dreamer put our man down in two rounds on that occasion. Losses like that can either make or break a fighter and Ngxexe chose the former. He has won seven fights since to create this title opportunity.

Home advantage favours Salas, who also has a 62.5% KO ratio compared to Ngxexe’s 50%. Ngxexe has never fought outside of South Africa, where he held ABU and South African championships. Salas has fought twice in the United States of America, but he can rely on familiar surroundings here.

A new bantamweight era begins on Saturday night. Who will join IBF boss Takuma Inoue, WBA king Seiya Tsutsumi and Christian Medina of the WBC on the divisional mountaintop?

Reyes vs Ngxeke Full Card

Jose Salas Reyes vs Landile Ngxexe

Jorge Zarate vs Alan Montiel

Alan Jordan vs Jose Valdez

Reyes vs Ngxeke Prediction

Reyes is lightning-quick, even for this speed-orientated division. His fleet-fists are matched by defensive swiftness. Whether he is whipping his head out of punching range or taking an expert step to pivot from danger, this kid can look after himself.

Ngxexe stalks behind a rangy jab. He can be the aggressor but settles into a rhythm when given something to aim at. Salas likely won’t offer the sort of relentless pressure that brings out his best counter work. Instead, the South African will have to work in bursts to try and unsettle his man.

I think Salas will be comfortable in there. Ngxexe is not bringing anything he has not seen before. Look for the Mexican to score the victory at 2/13.

You can find all our latest boxing betting tips and analysis at our Betfred Insights Boxing page and our latest boxing odds here.