The local shootout between top-rated cruiserweight contenders Johnny "The Hurricane" Muller and Thabiso "The Rock" Mchunu, which is scheduled for next month, has taken an exciting turn.

Promoter Rodney Berman said Muller and Mchunu will no longer fight for the vacant ABU belt only, but also for the SA belt which will be vacated by Kevin "KO Kid" Lerena due to his impending challenge for the IBO belt.

Muller, the right-handed warrior from Roodepoort who is trained by Harold Volbrecht, is rated No 1.

The former SA light heavyweight champion last fought in December when he pulverised Herman Potgieter.

In the other corner, Mchunu from Pietermaritzburg, who is based in Johannesburg under Sean Smith, also last saw action in December when he was stopped in the ninth round by Oleksandr Usyk.

Said Berman: "We will seek sanction for the SA title in addition to the ABU title. I think that sanction is a formality as these two are ranked number one and two contenders, respectively, in their division."

Berman added that the WBC has sanctioned rising star Deejay "The Real" Kriel to fight for the vacant WBC International straw weight title.

Kriel showed maturity in his last, tough test against equally competent boxer Xolisa Magusha at Emperors Palace last month.

Magusha had Kriel in all sorts of trouble but Kriel weathered the storm like a seasoned fighter to emerge victorious.