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Johannesburg - Super middleweight champion Tommy Oosthuizen will come up against another unbeaten boxer in Brandon Gonzalez at the Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut on June 29.
The South African's fight will feature on the undercard of the charismatic Gennady Golovkin's defence of his WBA middleweight title against Matthew Macklin and will be televised internationally.
But despite American-Mexican Gonzalez's record of 17 wins and no defeats, doubts have been raised as to whether the fight in the United States will do anything to enhance the 24 year-old Oosthuizen's ambition to earn a shot at the title of one of the four top recognised boxing associations - namely the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO.
Notwithstanding the 28-year-old Gonzalez's unbeaten credentials and 15th ranking by the IBF, is a less impressive placing of 37th on the IBO's computer rankings and the fact that he has not beaten any boxer rated higher than 53rd.
Perhaps more significant is the fact that the former amateur champion has never been involved in a fight of more than eight rounds during his six-year professional career - earning him the dubious description of the "Preliminary Man Champion."
However, Golden Gloves impresario Rodney Berman, under whose aegis Oosthuizen has made the majority of his ring appearances in a career of 21 wins, one draw and no defeats, sees a victory over Gonzalez shooting the boxer known as "Tommy Gun" up the IBF ratings as a current fifth challenger for Carl Froch's title to second position.
"Being on a high-profiled bill with vast exposure via TV presents Oosthuizen with the ideal opportunity to show his undoubted quality to an international audience," said Berman.
Meanwhile the Gonzalez fight has been described as "a hiding to nothing for Oosthuizen."
The expected victory will do little for his career, is a widespread view, while a defeat will be something of a disaster - and the time seems overdue for "Tommy Gun" to meet more highly recognised opponents.
