Thabiso “The Rock” Mchunu wants to make the most of another opportunity presented to him by the World Boxing Council (WBC) as he still harbours a dream to become its champion.
During the annual WBC Convention, which marked the council’s 60th anniversary last October, Mchunu was mandated to fight Badou Jack in a final cruiserweight eliminator.
It will be a case of a second bite at the cherry for the talented Mchunu as WBC has sanctioned the fight.
Jack, who is from Sweden and signed under Mayweather Promotions, is a former world champion in two weight classes, having held the WBC super-middleweight title from 2014 to 2017 and the World Boxing Association (WBA) light heavyweight title in 2017.
As an amateur, he represented Gambia at the 2008 Olympics, reaching the first round of the middleweight bracket. He boasts 27 wins against three losses. He is rated in the seventh spot, while Mchunu, who has a record of 26 wins against six losses, occupies the fourth spot.
Speaking to Sunday World, Mchunu said he was made aware he must negotiate his way to the WBC crown through Jack. He said he was raring to go and vowed to come back stronger. “I am elated by the news, and all that is left now is for the WBC to approve a promoter to stage the fight. I can’t let this opportunity slip through my fingers because my heart is still bleeding considering how I failed to clinch this crown,” said Mchunu.
In his last fight last year in the US against reigning champion Ilunga “Junior” Makabu, Mchunu was knocked out in the 11th round.
It was Mchunu’s second loss against the DR Congo-born Makabu.
“I don’t want to dwell on the past. I am focussing on improving where I may have lacked. I didn’t enjoy my Christmas because I have been hard at work waiting for the date”.
Mchunu is originally from Cato Ridge, a small town between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, but is now based in Gauteng. The southpaw’s career is guided by trainer Sean Smith.
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