Mbenge is up for the challenge to blast his way to a Palace coup
In all the boxing buzz sweeping through the city, Thulani Mbenge’s crucial world title clash at Emperors Palace in Gauteng on Saturday has flown under the radar.
However, Mbenge’s fight against Mexican Miguel Vasquez in defence of his IBO welterweight crown is as important if not more.
The Mdantsane boxer who now resides in Johannesburg is steadily moving up the ladder in world boxing with promoter Rodney Berman already plotting his next step.
“If Mbenge wins and does so in impressive style we will be shipping him out to US to showcase his talent to the big stage,” said Berman.
But winning against Vasquez is not a foregone conclusion as the lanky boxer will face an experienced campaigner in the visitor.
Vasquez is the former IBF lightweight champion, a title from which he repelled a number of world-class boxers with his awkward style.
He finally surrendered the crown that was once held by Berman’s ex-boxer Philip Holiday.
Vasquez surrendered the title to then Floyd Mayweather promoted Mickey Bey, forcing him to move up the division to junior-welterweight.
But a crushing knockout defeat by the highly touted UK boxer Josh Taylor prompted him to move up north once more where he scored a win over journeyman Cosme Rivera to earn a shot at Mbenge’s title. The 31-year-old Mexican is expected to come with all the tricks in the book to handle anything the 14-fight novice champion is expected to throw at him.
While Mbenge is clearly on the development stage, his stunning knockout win over Argentinean Diego Chavez to seize the title in June proved that he is not far off from joining the big league.
The fact that he is one of the boxers referred to as a world champion in the talent-laden welterweight division speaks volumes about his status.
Other champions in the division are Errol Spence who holds the IBF trinket, Shawn Porter who reins as the WBC king, Terrence Crawford, the WBO champion who occupies most pundits pound for pound top spot and Keith Thurman, who is on the comeback trail to keep his WBA title active.
All these champions, including Mbenge, are unbeaten making his IBO title a tantalising bait for those who cannot land a title shot against the other four.
Berman wants to capitalise on this strength to build Mbenge’s career in the US to join the other four title-holders. “We are already in talks with our US associates such as Lou DiBella to have Mbenge pursue his career over there.”
Beating Vasquez will go a long way towards realising such plans. Saturday’s show will also feature the rematch between Thabiso Mchunu and Thomas Oosthuizen following their September controversial clash which was won by the latter.
Berman wants to capitalise on this strength to build Mbenge’s career in the US to join the other four titlists