DRC man Makabu wants to Pole-axe the cruiserweight title
● Trainer Damien Durandt opted for stealth mode as he and boxer Junior Makabu headed into Kinshasa for their clash against Michal Cieslak of Poland for the vacant WBC cruiserweight title on Friday.
Johannesburg-based Makabu, 31, is bidding to become the Democratic Republic of Congo’s first world champion.
Durandt said he had spent six weeks in camp with Makabu overseas, enjoying quality sparring against good partners. But he’s not saying where or with whom.
“I don’t need Polish to read where he was training, who he was sparring with,” said Durandt, adding he had studied Cieslak’s camp, using Google translate.
They were abroad before Christmas until after New Year, though they wrapped up preparations in Johannesburg this week.
Durandt, who turned 29 yesterday, is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his late father Nick, who twice steered Sugar Boy Malinga to the WBC super-middleweight crown in the 1990s. Elias Tshabalala is the only other SA trainer to have captured a WBC belt, with Dingaan Thobela in 2000.
“My father did it [first] when he was 33 and if I do it at 29 it’s a massive accomplishment for me.
“I think I would complete the works of my father because my father always believed Junior would become a world champion.”
Makabu, a father of eight, turned professional under Nick in 2008, though he opted to go with a different trainer for his failed title WBC tilt at Tony Bellew in 2016.
He linked up with Durandt junior straight after that. “He’s matured since then ... I think he’s ripe for it now. I think he wants it more now than he ever wanted it then.
“I expect a tough fight but I am confident. I do believe Junior will win this fight. I don’t think he [Cieslak] has fought the same calibre of opponent Junior’s fought.”
Makabu has 26 wins (24 KOs) and two defeats, while Cieslak is unbeaten in 19 bouts, with 13 stoppages.
He’s matured since then ... I think he’s ripe for it now Damien Durandt
Boxing trainer