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Tommy Gun on show in 'Super 8'

Johannesburg - Highly-rated South African IBO super middleweight champion Tommy Oosthuizen will defend his title for the sixth time on the "Super Eight" final bill featuring cruiserweights Thabiso Mchunu and Danie Venter at Emperors Palace on November 10.

Promoters Golden Gloves announced on Tuesday afternoon that 35 year-old Colombian veteran Fulgencio Zuniga will challenge Oosthuizen for his title, following the South African's victory against Rowland Bryant in New York recently.

However, with the ageing Zuniga, seemingly another hand-picked opponent for South Africa's fast-rising champion before a return to the United States and more testing fights next year, it is the potentially lucrative showdown between surprise finalists Mchunu and Venter, in the "Last Man Standing" series of bouts.

Despite a commendable career record of 25 wins and five defeats, Zuniga has lost two of his last four fights, with the victory over an opponent ranked 59th by the IBO his best result.

And Oosthuizen, in contrast, boasted that he would enter the ring in peak condition and motivated by appearing in front of his own growing band of supporters.

"Boxing in America and the country as a whole is a real eye-opener," said Oosthuizen, "but there is nothing like hearing the buzz and getting into the ring in front of you own fans as a motivator."

And trainer Harold Volbrecht said "South Africa still has to see the best of what Oosthuizen is going to produce in his career. He is improving with each fight."

Promoter Rodney Berman announced that apart from the R300 000 purse and African Boxing Union title, which will go to the winner of Super Eight Final, Venter and Mchunu will also be vying for a place in the recently-announced WBC World Cup of Boxing, which will feature top fighters from the 10 continents affiliated to the organising association.

"Even the loser in the first round of the WBC's World Cup series, will receive somewhere in the region of R150 000, with the glittering prize of R1.5m on offer to the eventual winners in the eight different divisions, which will make up the event," said Berman.

Berman labelled the revitalised Venter as "The Cinderlella Man' of South African boxing after emerging from a downward slump in his career.

"It is truly a fight in which you could spin a coin to determine the winner," said the Golden Gloves promoter. Venter and Mchunu have totally different styles and they both can punch. For sure their fight will not be a tepid affair. It's going to be explosive."

A second IBO title fight will also feature on the November 10 bill, with South Africa's Gideon Buthelezi up against The Philippines' Edrin Dapudong for one of the organisation's vacant titles.

Also on the Emperors bill is a bout between South Africa's fast-rising, unbeaten Rayno Liebenberg and Zambia's Donald Kampamba for the IBO's All Africa light heavyweight title, with Berman revealing a fifth as yet unnamed contest will complete the programme.

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