Star of Africa rematch between Makabu and Mchunu + WBC Stats
By James Blears
WBC cruiserweight champion Junior Ilunga Makabu (28-2, 25KOs), from the Congo, defends his title for the second time, in a mega-bout rematch against Thabiso Mchunu (23-5, 13KOs) on January 29th at the Packard Music Hall in Warren Ohio.
The stylish southpaws clashed for the first time in May 2015. On that occasion it was an action packed eliminator for the WBC title and a fight to remember. 'The Rock' Thabiso dominated the first half of the bout, peppering a slow-starting Ilunga with accurate right jabs, combinations and uppercuts. He launched an onslaught in the third, rocking the taller man, who was glad to hear the bell to end the round.
But it proved to be a fight of two distinct halves. After the sixth, resilient and tough as nails Ilunga came into his own, and started to force the pace. Thabiso says that he initially found Ilunga an easy target to hit, went all out for the KO, didn't pace himself and gassed. He claims he has matured since then.
The Congolese combatant dished out severe punishment in the ninth and 10th and then closed the show with a peach of a left uppercut in the 11th, felling Thabiso who couldn't beat the count. Six years on and the two are standing face to face, poised to launch a second cannonade of fireworks in a Don King Promotion, which should prove explosive and memorable once more.
The Champion
Ilunga, aged 34, has built a record of 28-2 with 25 KOs, which makes him a reigning world champion with the second highest knockout ratio, just behind Artur Beterbiev. His last loss was six years and 10 fights ago, and he has six KOs in his last eight fights.
Southpaw Makabu is a great champion in his own right. He disastriously lost his pro debut against Khayeni Hlungwane via a first round TKO, in just 29 seconds! From there he progressed impressively with a string of straight KOs. We had to wait eight years before his next defeat at the hands of Tony Bellew for the vacant WBC title on the Everton FC fan's home turf of Goodison Park, Liverpool. This fight directly followed Junior's victory over Thabiso, one year on from that fight in May 2016.
Ilunga suprised Tony in round one with a cracking backhand, which summersaulted him backwards. In the words of Tony's Trainer Dave Coldwell, Tony got greedy and was caught. But the 'Bomber' made amends in the third, pressuring and dropping Ilunga with a massive right to close the show with a KO.
Ilunga patiently regrouped and went to Russia to win the WBC vacant silver title with a TKO over Dmitry Kudryashov. Then a MD win over Aleksei Papin and the next fight was against Poland`s Michal Cieslak for the vacant WBC title.
Michal started strong and had Ilunga in trouble in round three, but Illunga again showed his ability to reverse adversity, knocking his opponent down in the fourth. He got stronger as the fight progressed in front of his adoring fans in Kinshasa and won a UD. And in his first title defense, also in Kinshasa he TKO'd Olanrewaja Durodola. So now it's time to fight old foe Thabiso all over again.
The Challenger
Thabiso Mchunu has been in Mexico City for ten days, with his Coach Sean Smith and his team, training in the White Collar Gym on Palmas Avenue. They`ve secured visas from the US Embassy here to smooth their journey to Ohio.
Thabiso's pro debut was in 2007. He`s built a record of 28 fights with 23 wins including 13 KO`s and 5 losses. In his second fight after the defeat by Ilunga he fought the mighty Oleksandr Usyk, who put him down in the sixth and twice in the ninth for a KO victory.
Thabiso`s nickname is The Rock, because he`s overcome adversity to become the number one challenger. He lost a close MD to Thomas Oosthuizen and then in his next fight defeated him by UD. He went to Russia to defeat Denis Lebedev by UD to win the vacant WBC silver title, and back to Russia again to defeat Evgeny Tishchenko by UD, to earn his opportunity at the Absolute title against Ilunga.
Thabiso says he`s been in training camp for four months to fight Ilunga and has prepared to go twelve hard rounds. He`s five feet eleven inches tall and has a seventy two and a half inch reach. Ilunga is six feet tall and has a seventy four inch reach. Somehow, they look taller and shorter than that?
In their first fight, both stood toe to toe and swopped a lot of very hard punches. It`s likely they will also fight at relatively short range this time and it`ll be another slugfest. Ilunga will look to start a lot faster in this one, while Thabiso will conserve his stamina. Both favor going to the body and throwing uppercuts upstairs. Like their first encounter, it`s unlikely to go the distance.
The obvious immediate focus is on each other. But the winner might have an opportunity for an even bigger payday. At the World Boxing Council Convention in Mexico City, Saul Canelo`s Manager Eddy Reynoso gained permission for the Flame haired wonder, to fight against Ilunga. This might be on Cinco de Mayo, Ilunga comes through this test of fire. Canelo is keen to become the first Mexican boxer to win world titles in five weight categories. There`s also talk of Canelo possibly fighting undefeated WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo, who`d move up to super middleweight for the challenge.
If the Makabu Vs Mchunu fights proves to be a grueling test…and it will, May seems but a short time for the victor to prepare for Canelo. Stranger things have happened in boxing. Right now it`s not on the mind, but quite possibly in the back of it.
The current focus is January 29th. It`s going to be a great fight. The WBC cruiserweight crown is on the line. Whoever wins will be the Star of Africa and the Globe.
Don King Return to Greatness – Homecoming at Last Official PPV Live Stream: https://www.fite.tv/watch/don-king-homecoming-at-last/2pap8/
ILUNGA “Junior” MAKABU
WBC Cruiserweight World Champion
From: Congo
Age: 34
DOB: November 8, 1987
Birthplace: Kananga, Democratic Republic of The Congo
Record: 28-2, 25 KOs
Total rounds: 141
World championship fights: 2-1
Height: 6’0″ – 183cm
Reach: 74″ – 188cm
Stance: Left-handed
THABISO MCHUNU
WBC No.1 Cruiserweight
From: South Africa
Age: 33
DOB: March 4, 1988
Birthplace: KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Record: 23-5, 13 KOs
Total rounds: 197
Height: 5′ 11″ – 180 cm
Reach: 72 .5″ – 184
Stance: Left-handed
WBC CRUISERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS
1. Marvin Camel (US) 1980
2. Carlos de Leon (P. Rico) 1980 – 1982
3. S.T. Gordon (US) 1982 – 1983
4. Carlos de Leon (P. Rico) * 1983 – 1985
5. Alfonzo Ratliff (US) 1985
6. Bernard Benton (US) 1985 – 1986
7. Carlos de Leon (P. Rico) * 1986 – 1988
8. Evander Holyfield (US) 1988
9. Carlos de Leon (P. Rico) * 1989 – 1990
10. Massimiliano Duran (Italy) 1990 – 1991
11. Anaclet Wamba (France) 1991 – 1995
12. Marcelo Dominguez (Arg) 1995 – 1998
13. Juan Carlos Gomez (Cuba) 1998 – 2002
14. Wayne Braithwaite (Guyana) 2002 – 2005
15. Jean-Marc Mormeck (France) 2007
16. O’Neil Bell (US) 2006 – 2007
17. Jean Marc Mormeck (France)* 2007
18. David Haye (UK) 2007 – 2008
19. Giacobbe Fragomeni (Italy) 2008 – 2009
20. Zsolt Erdei (Hungary) 2008 – 2010
21. Krzystof Wlodarczyk (Poland) 2010 – 2014
22. Grigory Drozd (Russia) 2014 – 2015
23. Tony Bellew (UK) 2016 – 2017
24. Mairis Briedis (Latvia) 2017 – 2018
25. Oleksandr Usyk (Ukraine) 2018 – 2019
26. Ilunga Makubu (Congo) 2020 –
*Regained
WBC TOP 10 CRUISERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS
1. Evander Holyfield (US)
2. Oleksandr Usyk (Ukraine)
3. Juan Carlos Gomez (Cuba-Germany)
4. David Haye (GB)
5. Tony Bellew (GB)
6. Mairis Briedis (Latvia)
7. Zsolt Erdei (Hungary)
8. Krzystof Wlodarczyk (Poland)
9. Jean-Marc Mormeck (France)
10. Anaclet Wamba (France)
WBC CRUISERWEIGHT DIVISION HISTORY
76 cruiserweight world championship bouts have been held in the history of the WBC.
22 world champions have been recognized by the WBC, of whom only two have regained the title: Carlos de Leon (Puerto Rico) three times, Jean Marc Mormeck (France) once.
MEMORABLE WBC CRUISERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS
Jan. 31, 2020
Ilunga Makubu W12 Michal Cieslak
Kinshasa, DROC
Nov. 10, 2018
Oleksandr Usyk TKO8 Tony Bellew
Manchester, England
July 21, 2018
Oleksandr Usyk W12 Murat Gassiev
Moscow, Russia
Jan. 27, 2018
Oleksandr Usyk W12 Mairis Briedis
Riga, Latvia
Apr. 1, 2017
Mairis Briedis W12 Marco Huck
Westfalenhalle, Germany
May 29, 2016
Tony Bellew TKO3 Ilunga Makabu
Liverpool, England
Sep. 27, 2014
Grigory Drozd W12 Krzysztof Wlodarczyk
Moscow, Russia
May 15, 2010
Krzysztof Wlodarczyk TKO8 Giacobbe Fragomeni
Lodz, Poland
Oct. 24, 2008
Giacobbe Fragomeni TW8 Rudolf Kraj
Milan, Italy
Mar. 8, 2008
David Haye TKO2 Enzo Maccarinelli
London, England
Jan. 7, 2006
O’Neil Bell KO10 Jean Marc Mormeck
New York, America
Apr. 2, 2005
Jean Marc Mormeck W12 Wayne Braithwaite
Worcester, Massachusetts
Oct. 11, 2002
Wayne Braithwaite TKO10 Vincenzo Cantatore
Lombardia, Italy
Feb. 21, 1998
Juan Carlos Gomez W12 Marcelo Fabian Dominguez
Buenos Aires, Argentina
July 25, 1995
Marcelo Fabian Dominguez TKO9 Akim Tafir
Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France
July 20, 1991
Anaclet Wamba TKO11 Massimiliano Duran
Palermo, Sicily
July 27, 1990
Massimiliano Duran WDQ11 Carlos DeLeon
Capo d’Orlando, Sicily
May 17, 1989
Carlos DeLeon TKO9 Sammy Reeson
London, England
Apr. 9, 1988
Evander Holyfield TKO8 Carlos DeLeon
Las Vegas, Nevada
Feb. 24, 1982
Carlos DeLeon TKO8 Marvin Camel
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Mar. 31, 1980
Marvin Camel W15 Mate Parlov
Las Vegas, Nevada
Dec. 8, 1979
Marvin Camel D15 Mate Parlov
Split, Croatia
WBC Stats by Luis Medina
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