Mchunu expects tough fight from 'closed book' Kalonji

Ring veteran Thabiso Mchunu says while a boxer's fight record provides a snapshot of their wins and losses, it's not the sole determinant of their skill or potential.

This writer asked if his inexperienced opponent — Amador Kalonji from Lubumbashi in Congo, who has seven wins from eight fights, was not brought on as a sacrificial lamb to be slaughtered by the man who has been a pro boxer for 17 years.

“That he [Kalonji] agreed to fight means he fancies his chances,” said Mchunu. “I am training hard and preparing for a tough competition.”

With 23 wins from 31 fights, Mchunu's non-title fight against Kalonji at Sunbet Arena in Pretoria on May 1 will pave the way for the WBC bridgerweight title defence by holder Kevin “Two Guns” Lerena and Ukrainian contender Serhiy Radchenko.

It will be Legacy Boxing Promotion's (LBP) maiden tournament and the first WBC world title defence by a local fighter on South African soil. This is made possible by businessman Dewald Mostert, the founder of LBP.

Mchunu's last fight was a points defeat over 10 rounds to Muslim Gadzhimagomedov in Moscow on January 31. Before that, he had been beaten by Ilunga Makabu in 2022, by split decision, in their WBC world cruiserweight championship fight in the US.

Going into that contest, Mchunu had just won the WBC silver elimination fight against Evgeny Tishchenko in 2021. But before defeating Tishchchenko, the left-hander who is trained by Sean Smith had won the silver belt against Denis Lebedev.

Mchunu's last five fights have come over a period of six years, and in those fights, he fought a total of 60 rounds.

He described Kalonji as a closed book. “Knowing what to expect from an opponent can be misleading,” he said of the Cape Town-based boxer who lost to Keaton Gomes in 2019.

The former ABU (twice), North American Boxing Federation and WBC silver titlist said he's been sparring with Gomes, Akani Phuzi and Lerena.

Gomes is preparing for participation in the WBC Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia while Phuzi will be in actin on the same day as Mchunu but in LPB's first tournament early in the day.

Mchunu, Lerena, IBO welterweight champ Thulani Mbenge and Chris Thompson will feature in the second tournament late in the evening.

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