By Linda Ximba
It will be a case of a second bite at the cherry for Thabiso “The Rock” Mchunu after the World Boxing Council (WBC) ordered him to fight for its title.
As ordered during the annual WBC Convention, which marked the council’s 60th anniversary last October, Mchunu is mandated to fight Badou Jack in a final cruiserweight eliminator.
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 WBA light heavyweight title in 2017.
As an amateur, he represented The 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 occupies the fourth spot.
Speaking to Scrolla.Africa, Mchunu said he has been made aware that he must negotiate his way to the WBC crown through Jack.
He said he is raring to go and vowed to come back stronger.
In his last fight against Ilunga Makabu, Mchunu was not convincing as he suffered a split decision early last year in the US. It was Mchunu’s second loss against DR Congo-born Makabu. During their elimination bout, Mchunu was knocked out in the 11th round.
“My management told me before the end of last year that the WBC has mandated that I fight Jack for the eliminator. I took a two-week break but I have been hard at work since the beginning of the year,” says Mchunu.
“This is a massive opportunity for me which I don’t want to mess up,” said Mchunu.
Mchunu is originally from KwaZulu-Natal but is now based in Gauteng. The southpaw’s career is guided by trainer Sean Smith.
Pictured above: Thabiso Mchunu
Image source: Sunday World
