Nkosinathi Joyi will fight Rey Lorito in Monte Carlo in February for the vacant IBO junior flyweight title.

The IBO has sanctioned the South African’s fight against the Filipino as a title bout.

Golden Gloves promoter Rodney Berman, who will present the tournament, said an offer for Joyi to challenge IBF junior flyweight champion Johnriel Casimero had been rejected.

Casimero had to make a mandatory defence of his title by December 16 and for Joyi to prepare for such an important fight at such short notice would not have been feasible.

Joyi was rated the best SA boxer, pound-for-pound, when he held the IBF strawweight title. Now he has an opportunity to fight his way back to prominence.

Lorito, a Filipino who has lost almost as many of his 30-odd fights as he has won, is rated sixth by the IBO.

"It's not our business to decide whom Nkosinathi will be fighting in Monte Carlo," Joyi's manager, Siphatho Handi, said on Monday.

"The objective is to get him back into the forefront as a junior flyweight; similar to the status he enjoyed as a strawweight when he was number two in the world.

"If the IBO accept Lorito as a title contender it’s their decision. The fight for us is a stepping stone and we intend to do the business and not worry about Lorito's credentials."

Berman said the IBF's rating of Joyi as a frontline challenger was encouraging. The WBA also have him high on the list of challengers after his brief appearance in the junior lightweight division.

In his first fight as a junior flyweight four months ago, after losing his IBF strawweight title, Joyi stopped Benezer Alolod in the ninth round at Emperors Palace.

He lost to Hekkie Budler in a bout for the IBO strawweight title at the same venue earlier this year, but is far from a has-been at the age of 30.