Bongani Magasela

Bongani Magasela

Sean Santana should go back home to Potchefstroom from Eldorado Park empty-handed on Friday night.

Santana, who produced the upset of the year last month by flattening vastly experienced former SA, WBU and IBO cruiserweight titleholder Sebastiaan Rothmann in five rounds, will challenge Thabiso Mchunu for the national junior heavyweight belt.

Their fight will be promoted by Reggie Hilmer and Gavin Hope. The duo, who promote under the banner of Future Boxing Promotions, will stage this boxing match at Don Mateman Hall.

This fight, which pits two champions of Boxing SA's Baby Champs development programme, will be televised live on Blow by Blow at 9.30pm.

Santana's stunning victory over Rothmann earned the 31-year-old novice of only three wins and a defeat the right to challenge for the national belt.

Mchunu, 20, from Cato Ridge in Pietermaritzburg, won that belt last year. This youngster who looks and is built just like "Iron" Mike Tyson, stopped Patrick Madzinga in nine rounds in February at Finetown City in Grasmere, near Lenasia.

Madzinga blew Santana away in one round last June.

"I know Sean from the amateur ranks. I will not underestimate him at all but still I cannot spend quality time thinking about him," said Mchunu whose boxing ability is fine-tuned by father Alex Mchunu, a former KwaZulu Natal provincial heavyweight champion.