Chaves aims to salvage nation’s pride

But SA’s Mbenge has no intentions of holding back

ARGENTINA’s drubbing by Croatia in the soccer World Cup currently under way in Russia looks set to spill over to the Emperors Palace ring.

This after Argentinean boxer Diego Chaves vowed to console his country by winning the IBO world welterweight title which he will contest against Mdantsane’s Thulani Mbenge here tonight.

While Argentina easily succumbed to Croatia when beaten 3-0 Chaves ruled out of that happening to him.

Instead he vowed to make Mbenge pay for what happened to his country even though the Mdantsane boxer had nothing to do with it.

Speaking through an interpreter, Chaves said his country sent out he and the Argentinean national soccer team to bring back world honours.

“It now looks like our national team is failing to do what we were sent out to do, ” he said in an exclusive interview with Daily Dispatch.

“Now the onus is with me to revive the shattered dream of my country by doing my end of the job. This world title now means everything not only to me but to the reputation of my country. Imagine if I were also to lose here, what it would mean back home.”

Both boxers had no problem with the scales, underlining their readiness for the clash.

Chaves weighed 66,60kg while Mbenge was 40 grams lighter at 66.20kg.

When informed of what Chaves had said, Mbenge burst out laughing as he threw punches in the air to demonstrate what he will do during the fight.

“I do not care what is happening in his country, but he is returning home empty-handed,” he said.

Sporting a newlook as he has cut his dreadlocks, which first made Dispatch unable to recognise him until he introduced himself, Mbenge said he could not be better prepared for the fight.

“Tomorrow (Sat) is far away. I wish I was fighting now. I have so much to show and I am happy I am fighting such an experienced boxer as Chaves in order to gauge my development.”

Chaves will be Mbenge’s most experienced opponent, with the Argentinean having competed at the world stage against world-class fighters.

He has a respectable fight record of just three losses and a draw in 30 bouts, while Mbenge has fought less than half of those bouts.

The general feeling here is that the fight will provide Mbenge with an opportunity to prove if he is indeed destined for stardom.

A victory will catapult him on to the world stage and drastically improve his world title credentials.

Fight promoter Rodney Berman said as much when commenting about the fight.

“I have always said Mbenge is a star in the making, and my sentiments will either be proven correct or I will be disappointed,” said Berman.

The tournament will also feature a tasty cruiserweight showdown between Thando Mchunu of KwaZuluNatal and Latvian Ricardis Bolotniks.

Former Olympian, Ayabonga Sonjica of Duncan Village will also be in action.