UMSHAYISIBHAKELA waKwaZulu-Natal, uThabiso "The Rock" Mchunu, ukholwa wukuthi sizomsebenzela isipiliyoni sokulwa ezingeni eliphezulu uma eseqhuthana no-Evgeny Tishchenko waseRussia empini yokuhlungela eyebhande leWorld Boxing Council (WBC) cruiserweight eRussia, ngoMgqibelo.
UMchunu (22-5-0) waKwaXimba, eCato Ridge, uzobeka esitikini nebhande leWBC Silver cruiserweight aliwine ngo-2019 ehlula uDenis Lebedev waseRussia. Ozowina phakathi kukaMchunu noTishchenko uzobhekana nompetha weWBC, u-Ilunga Junior Makabu, waseDemocratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
UMchunu wakhala ngaphansi kuMakabu empini yokuhlungela ozolwela ibhande leWBC noTony Bellew wase-United Kingdom ngo-2015. Wayeyiphethe le mpi kwaze kwaba ushaywa ngomngqimuzo womlalisa phansi ngomzuliswano ka-11.
UMchunu uthe isipiliyoni asithola kule mpi sizomsebenzela uma esebhekene noTishchenko owabuya negolide kuma-Olympics eseyi-amesha.
"Uma into sewake wayenza, uma usuyiphinda usuke usuwazi ukuthi yenziwa kanjani. Akube kusafana nangesikhathi usayenza okokuqala. Usuke sewazi ukuthi kufanele uzilungiselele kanjani. Kodwa ke zonke izimpi ngizilwela ukuziwina, ngizithatha ngendlela efanayo. Ngijabule ukuthola elinye ithuba lokuhlungela ibhande leWBC. Akwandele bani. Amanye amabhokisa alithola kanye, lingaphinde libuye. Kimina kuyakhombisa ukuthi kukhona engikwenza kahle," kusho uMchunu.
Ngokwerekhodi lakhe uTishchenko (8-0-0), useyikluma esibhakeleni somhlaba phezu kokuba eseneminyaka engu-29 yobudala. Ushaya ngesipiliyoni esibabazekayo esigabeni sama-amesha.
Ngo-2015, uthole indondo yegolide kumaWorld Championships. Ulandelise ngelinye igolide kuma-Olympics ngo-2016. Nango-2017, uliphindile kuma-European Championships. Esigabeni esikhokhelayo, uTishchenko usawine ibhande leWBO Inter-Continental cruiserweight.
"Lokhu kuyakhombisa ukuthi uyasazi isibhakela. Nami kwangisiza ukuqala esigabeni sama-amesha ngoba yilapho engacijeka khona. Angibanga nenkinga sengifika esigabeni esikhokhelayo. Kuyena ngiyakwazi engibhekene nakho kodwa akungethusi. Manje sengishaya nangesipiliyoni sokulwa esigabeni esikhokhelayo," kusho uMchunu.