Linda Ximba
Umqeqeshi uDamian Durandt ufuna ukuqhubeka lapho ubaba wakhe ongasekho uNick agcine khona.
Uthembisa ukuhola umshayisibhakela wakhe, u-Ilunga “Junior” Makabu ukuthi anqobe uThabiso “The Rock” Mchunu owazalelwa e-DRC emqhudelwaneni we-All-Afrika.
Kungokokuqala ukuthi i-WBC eyasungulwa ngowe-1963 ibe nempi yesicoco phakathi kwabadlali ababili base-Afrika.
Ngesikhathi laba bobabili betholana phezulu bebanga ibhande le-WBC eThekwini ngowezi-2015, uMakabu wamangaza abagcinimabhuku ngenkathi ekhipha uMchunu emzuliswaneni weshumi.
Ngaphambi kokunqotshwa uMchunu owayejabulela ukuqhudelana ekhaya, ubehamba phambili ngamaphuzu.
Ngemuva kokushona kukaNick Durandt ngowezi-2017, indodana yakhe uDamian yasukuma ukuze igcine ifa lomndeni liphila. Lo mqeqeshi osemncane wahlela ukunqoba kukaMakabu kanzima ehlula uMichal Cieslak ukuze athole isicoco se-WBC e-DRC ngonyaka odlule.
UMakabu uzobe eqhudelana okwesibili ukuvikela isicoco kanti uDamian ufunge wagomela ukuthi uzomzwisa ubuhlungu obukhulu uMchunu.
“Sifuna ukushaya amagoli amabili kuThabiso. Ungumshayisibhakela omuhle, kodwa ngeke afane nathi. Simcubungule kahle futhi asisakwazi ukulinda ukuqhudelana naye,” kusho uDamian.
Lo mqeqeshi uthe kwakuyisifiso sikababa wakhe ukuqhubeka nokwenza ompetha bomhlaba futhi ukunqoba kukaMchunu kuzobe kubhekiswe kumuntu ongasekho emhlabeni onikeze iNingizimu Afrika ompetha bamazwe ngamazwe ukudlula bonke abanye abaqeqeshi kuleli.
UNick wanikeza iNingizimu Afrika umpetha wokuqala we-WBC ngesikhathi ehola uThulani Malinga ukuthi anqobe i-super middleweight ngenkathi ehlula uNigel “Dark Destroyer” Benn e-UK ngowe-1995.
Uphromotha waseMelika oshisa izikhotha, uDon King, ozobe ehlela impi phakathi kukaMakabu noMchunu, naye wabamba ingqophamlando yempi yebhande le-Jungle heavyweight phakathi kukaMuhammad Ali noGeorge Foreman ngowe-1974 e-Kinshasa.
UKing uzolumemezela usuku, kodwa sekuqinisekisiwe ukuthi impi izoba ngenyanga ezayo.