INTANDOKAZI yebhokisa laKwaZulu-Natal, uThabiso " The Rock" Mchunu (34), idalula ukuthi icabanga ukuwagaxa emgibeni amagilavu ekupheleni konyaka ozayo.
Leli nxele laKwaXimba, eMkhambathini, lingomunye wosomankomana ababalwa nabahamba phambili esisindweni seCruiserweight emhlabeni jikelele.
Lokhu kufakazelwa wukukleliswa kwalo endaweni yesine ezilinganisweni zeWBC okuyibhande elihlonishwa ukuwedlula wonke emhlabeni.
Engxoxweni ekhethekile naleli phephandaba, uMchunu uveze ukuthi nakuba esacubungula okuningi ngekusasa lakhe kodwa kungenzeka u-2023 kube wunyaka wakhe wokugcina eringini.
“Empeleni isinqumo sokuthi isibhakela ngiyosiyeka singineminyaka ewu-35 ngasithatha ngisemncane, ngisalwa esibhakeleni sama-amisha,” kusho uMchunu.
“Namanje sisasemqondweni lesi sinqumo. Kuzoncika ezintweni ezithile. Uma ngikwazile ukunqoba ibhande elihlonishwa umhlaba wonke ngizoke ngithi ukuqhubeka nalo mdlalo.
“Nakuba ngikholelwa ekutheni angikafiki lapho engifisa ukufinyelela khona kodwa ziningi izinto esenginazo ngenxa yawo.”
Ekuqaleni kwalo nyaka uThabiso ugcine elitholile ithuba lokulwela ibhande leWBC okuyisikhondlakhondla sebhande esingalwelwa yinoma ngubani.
Ezimbi wukuthi ukhale ngaphansi ku-Ilungu "Junior" Makabu waseDRC osezinze e-USA. Empeleni bekungokwesibili betholana phezulu. Ngo-2015 baxhimfana kweyokuhlungela ukulwela yona iWBC Cruiserweight. Nakhona uThabiso wakhala ngaphansi.
"Nakuba ngihlulekile kodwa ngingomunye wabambalwa abakwaze ukulwela ibhande le WBC elihlonishwa emhlabeni jikelele,“ kusho uMchunu.
Ngithole nethuba lokukwela ezindaweni ezihlonishwa umhlaba wonke, okulwele kuzo izingqwele zangempela. Kuningi engikwenzelwe ngalo mdlalo nakuba ngingeke ngikusho konke.
Okuhle ukuthi ngaphandle kwawo kunezinye izinto engizenza emaceleni ezingenzela imali.“
Ngaphandle kokuphatha uxhaxha lwezicoco, uMchunu useke walwa nezingqwele ezifana no-Oleksandr Usyk oyibhokisa elihamba phambili kunawo wonke (Pound-for-Pound).
Lo sondonzima wase-Ukraine uphethe amabhande omhlaba okungawe-IBF, WBA Super, WBO nele-IBO. Uwaphuce u-Anthony Joshua.
Ubonge wanconcoza kuyise u-Alex Mchunu owamfundisa isibhakela. Uphinde wabonga nasemenenjeni yakhe uSean Smith ophinde abe ngumqeqeshi wakhe.
Lo mshayisibhakela uveze ukuthi impi eqhubeka eRussia nase-Ukraine imgqeme ingozi engeqiwa ntwala.
"Bekumele ngiyolwa eRussia kodwa le mpi yayibhuntshisa impi yami. Bengizobanga ibhande le WBC Silver nebhokisa lasePoland. Nakuba ngingeke ngande kodwa kukhulu okuzayo ngonyaka ozayo,“ kusho uMchunu.
Phakathi kwamanye amabhande aseke aphathwa nguMchunu yiyo iWBC Silver, WBC International, WBC Continental America's, WBA Pan African, ABU, elakuleli le Cruiserweight ukusho ambalwa.
Nakuba ashaywa u-Usyk, ngo-2016 kodwa useke walilwela neleWBO World.