Thabiso "The Rock" Mchunu was not aggressive enough to dethrone Moldovian Constantin Bejenaru as the WBC International cruiserweight champion in their fight in the US at the weekend, says the defeated challenger's trainer Sean Smith.
Mchunu, the vastly experienced current SA and ABU champion, was tipped to easily defeat the over-matched US-based Bejenaru on Saturday.
Instead, Mchunu of Cato Ridge in Pietermaritzburg, suffered a unanimous points loss.
Scores were 92-97 (twice) and 91-98.
"The two southpaws made it an uncomfortable match-up. I thought it was a 50-50 fight," said Smith, who recently guided Mchunu to an emphatic win against Johnny "The Hurricane" Muller for the SA and African Boxing Union belts.
"In one exchange Thabiso's foot got caught up with the other guy and tripped and they scored it as a knockdown [in round seven].
"It changed the momentum for us. Thabiso wasn't active or aggressive enough and the judges held that against him."
Mchunu's No 14th rating could be gone.
Bejenaru was rated No 15 before the fight.
The loss was Mchunu's first on points and his fourth defeat against 18 wins with 11 knockouts, while Bejenaru retained both his WBC America and the WBC International belts and his clean slate of 13 wins.
Mchunu did little to dethrone Moldovian
Image: LEFTY SHIVAMBU
Thabiso "The Rock" Mchunu was not aggressive enough to dethrone Moldovian Constantin Bejenaru as the WBC International cruiserweight champion in their fight in the US at the weekend, says the defeated challenger's trainer Sean Smith.
Mchunu, the vastly experienced current SA and ABU champion, was tipped to easily defeat the over-matched US-based Bejenaru on Saturday.
Instead, Mchunu of Cato Ridge in Pietermaritzburg, suffered a unanimous points loss.
Scores were 92-97 (twice) and 91-98.
"The two southpaws made it an uncomfortable match-up. I thought it was a 50-50 fight," said Smith, who recently guided Mchunu to an emphatic win against Johnny "The Hurricane" Muller for the SA and African Boxing Union belts.
"In one exchange Thabiso's foot got caught up with the other guy and tripped and they scored it as a knockdown [in round seven].
"It changed the momentum for us. Thabiso wasn't active or aggressive enough and the judges held that against him."
Mchunu's No 14th rating could be gone.
Bejenaru was rated No 15 before the fight.
The loss was Mchunu's first on points and his fourth defeat against 18 wins with 11 knockouts, while Bejenaru retained both his WBC America and the WBC International belts and his clean slate of 13 wins.
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