I’m not scared of anyone Fiery talk from Azinga Fuzile
Fiery talk as Azinga eyes IBO junior lightweight crown
● Azinga Fuzile has resembled a sniper with his awkward defensive style, but he needs to turn into a machine-gunner for his war against Russian Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov today.
The elusive Fuzile, aged 23, steps into the ring in East London to take on the 25-yearold Rakhimov in an eliminator for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) juniorlightweight crown, and nobody doubts this is the toughest opponent of the young South African’s career.
To date Fuzile has been able to rely on his unorthodox moves and Mayweather-like shoulder turns to confound opponents and then strike them with single blows.
This time he knows he has to throw more combinations.
“This is how we are going to win the fight,” Fuzile said after a hard sparring session in which he threw combinations and practised his slipping skills.
He went one round against JayJay Sonjica with his hands at his side — and he got caught a few times.
Even with his guard up he got tagged occasionally.
But the thing about Fuzile is he doesn’t mind eating a little leather as he assesses his opponents and works out plans to take them out.
“I set traps for my opponents,” said Fuzile, who admits Rakhimov is a step up in class to what he’s faced before.
But, hey, there’s class and then there’s Fuzile. “He’s a world champion, unbeaten. He’s a good opponent,” said the former SA featherweight champion.
Nothing will get in my way
“I don’t see my opponents as an obstacle, but I do respect them. Nothing worries me. In my mind my focus is to become a world champion. That’s the goal — nothing will get in my way: I’m not scared of anyone.”
Fuzile and Rakhimov have identical records, both undefeated in 14 fights; Fuzile has won eight inside the distance and Rakhimov 11.
On the other hand, Fuzile has fought 93 rounds to the Russian’s 60 and he’s gone 12 rounds on four occasions, which Rakhimov has done just once.
They have two opponents in common. The Russian stopped Rofhiwa Maemu in four rounds early this year, while Fuzile battled to a hard-fought points win in 2017.
Fuzile stopped Malcolm Klassen, who previously held the world title they’re both vying for, in the fourth round a year ago, while Klassen survived into the eighth round eight months earlier.
But one can’t make direct comparisons. Klassen was ready to retire by the time he went in against Fuzile, and equally, Fuzile has improved since he beat Maemu.
It’s going to come down to their performances today.
In terms of heritage, the IBF crown has been worn on the heads of no fewer than four South Africans over the years, starting with Brian Mitchell in 1991.
Cassius Baloyi picked it up in 2006 before swapping it with Malcolm Klassen and Mzonke Fana.
Only one SA boxer has challenged for the belt and failed, and that was Jackie Gunguluza, who was stopped in the fourth round by John John Molina in 1992.
That’s good news for when he challenges for the title.
But first he has to take down Rakhimov.
I don’t see my opponents as an obstacle, but I do respect them. Nothing worries me Azinga Fuzile
Junior-lightweight boxer