Veteran South African boxer Thabiso Mchunu (left), at 38, remains focused on winning and maintaining peak fitness, aiming for a WBC cruiserweight world title challenge while preparing for a six-round fight against Kareb Shitana at Knockout Chaos 1 in Sandton, featuring a cash incentive for early knockouts. Picture: Michael Sherman/IOL
Image: Michael Sherman/IOL
Veteran South African boxer Thabiso Mchunu is refusing to let age define him at 38, as he still wants to challenge for a WBC cruiserweight world title before his time in the ring is over.
This is despite three defeats in his last four fights.
First up, though, will be a fight against Kareb Shitana in their six-round cruiserweight clash at Knockout Chaos 1 in Sandton on Saturday.
There’s also a new incentive at this event called the Knockout timer, where there is a cash incentive: the earlier you knock your opponent out, the bigger bonus the fighter receives. If the knockout comes in round one, the fighter will receive a R30,000 bonus. Every round after that, the bonus will decrease by R5,000.
“For me, it's more about the win. And the last time I tried the knockout, I didn't have a good performance there. So for me, it's just to box and do what I do best, and that is boxing,” Mchunu said.
While he’s one of the oldest active fighters in SA at the moment, Mchunu still cuts a shredded figure, and his fitness is one of the reasons he still competes.
“You're as good as how hard you train, and as I've said, I've had one of the best camps of my career. So I feel like I'm at my peak right now, and hopefully, the guy I'm fighting is going to give a bit of competition. And yeah, I promise the guys to give them a good, entertaining fight.
“I’m a clean-living guy. I don't smoke, I don't drink, I don't party. So that's one of the things that I grew up doing, and my dad taught me. And I've been doing it like this since I was a kid. So I'm still feeling healthy, 100%. And my body's responding well. And yeah, I'm really feeling good.”