Veteran Ali Funeka will engage in his biggest fight since his two failed attempts to win the IBF lightweight title against Nate Campbell and Joan Guzman.
This time the “Rush Hour” will come up against undefeated Australian Jeff Horn with the winner facing many potential super fights.
The fight will take place as a supporting bout to the WBO world heavyweight title clash between Kiwi Joseph Parker and Mexican-born American Andy Ruiz at Victor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on December 10.
Funeka was willing to sit down to chat about the biggest fight of his career.
BOXING MECCA: May we have been there done that every time your fight is coming so what is new, how is the weight so far?
ALI FUNEKA: I have been on weight since Mr Lonergan (New Zealand promoter) was here about three weeks ago.
Right now I am around 67.9kg but I keep increasing it because I do not want to go there very weak. In all my fights I have never struggled with weight so to me that is neither here nor there.
BM: But Ali correct me if I am wrong here, this fight is the biggest for you since the Nate Campbell fight in 2009 and Guzman clash in the same year.
AF: Yes my bra it is the biggest and most important for me. You know it is so funny that I am in this position now after those setbacks but it helps to have faith in the God Almighty.
If I were to ask you back then if I would stand on the verge of fighting (Manny) Pacquiao I am sure would have thought that I was crazy especially after what I have been through. But here I am standing on realising my dream of fighting the guy I never thought it’s possible before.
BM: Horn is highly rated and as you have already stated the winner will likely get the Pacquiao sweepstakes. I am told Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum will be ringside as well.
AF: There is no bigger opportunity than that. The motivation for me is all there to succeed so at my age I cannot afford to let this God-given opportunity to slip through my fingers. Bob will be there so even if I do not get Pacquiao, you know he has other high-profile boxers in the welterweight division so either way I will be the winner.
BM: You speak like you have already won this fight Ali yet you will be facing an unbeaten boxer in Horn.
AF: It is because I do not see anything stopping me from getting the big fight out there. Jeff Horn is standing in my way but I will push him aside and march on to mega-bouts.
BM: You are aware that if you win you will also stand in a lofty position to challenge for the IBF title?
AF: That is why I am saying Jeff Horn will not see the distance. I am going there to knock him out and come back home. It is as simply as that. No mangamanga business here.
BM: Hayiboo. I have not seen Ali making these bold predictions. What is going on here?
AF: The God Almighty is with me bra Zifo. And He has told me this so I am going there to fulfil His orders.
I am telling you Jeff Horn will not go the distance with me and fortunately we already know that he does not possess such a granite jaw.
BM: But Ali that is exactly what people are saying about you; that you have a fragile chin.
AF: I know people say that judging by my last fight against Justice Addy this past August but you must remember that each fight has its own strategy.
I went to the Addy fight looking to take him out of there as a result I was even careless because I knew that he would do nothing to me.
But against Horn I will be extra cautious because of the magnitude of the fight and what is at stake.
Still I do not see him going the distance with me.
BM: You are back with Dudu Bungu and I recall Dudu telling me that if there was one boxer who could beat Pacquiao it was you.
AF: Like I said we have always wanted to fight Pacquiao but then it was a pipe dream. We used to fantasise about what I would do to him. But now the fight is so ever closer to realisation only if I keep my end of the bargain. This is my time my bra.
BM: You heard when we were chatting with Dean Lonergan that there would be at least 10000 people cheering for Horn there.
AF: That does not worry me at all. At my age (Funeka is 39) I no longer worry about such things. I go there and shut out every noise or insults and just do a number on my opponent.
BM: Jeff is unbeaten in 15 fights while you have had some losses. He is also 11 years your junior. Does that not worry you?
AF: Not at all.
He may be unbeaten but he has not fought someone like me.
I know he is also young but still I have been able to chop down unbeaten boxers before so it will not be the first.
BM: Yes I recall you inflicting the first loss to Russian Roman Balaev and later to his compatriot Viskhan Murzabekov...
AF: Exactly so it is my habit to beat previously unbeaten boxers.
BM: I see similarities here with your fight against Murzabekov. You went to Russia as an underdog against that country’s unbeaten star in a fight which served as an undercard to a world heavyweight championship when Ruslan Chagaev and Lucas Browne contested for the WBA crown. Again you are going to New Zealand to fight an unbeaten star on the undercard of a world heavyweight championship.
AF: Precisely, you can see that I am going there with a good omen. Difference this time is that I will return with a knockout win.
BM: Have you seen Horn’s video footage?
AF: I have been watching him non-stop including his last bout so I do not only know how he fights but how he thinks as well.
BM: Tell me what have you detected in his boxing makeup?
AF: Without revealing much, I have observed that he relies too much on his right hand. He has decent punch variation but nothing to scare me.
BM: Who has been helping you with sparring?
AF: I have been using Bushby (Giovanni), Athi Mahanjana and Siphiwe Lusizi just for his southpaw stance to be ready for anything. I can tell you that I am prepared.
BM: You must be grateful to what Ayanda Matiti has done for you when people thought that you were over the hill, especially the Tsiko Mulevhedzi debacle.
AF: I am saying if I had Ayanda when I got opportunities to fight the Campbell and Guzman I would have long been a champion by now.
My career would be mentioned alongside the great boxers in the world.
But I guess things happen for a reason because like you said here I am being on the verge of fighting in mega-bouts so God has His own ways of doing things. Who would have thought that after the Tsiko fight I would be here now? I think Ayanda was brought into my life for a reason.
BM: We can only wish you all the best MaAy otherwise we already know what you are capable of.
AF: Thank you my bra for the support all these years.
'Rush Hour' in hot pursuit of landing Pacquiao bout
This time the “Rush Hour” will come up against undefeated Australian Jeff Horn with the winner facing many potential super fights.
The fight will take place as a supporting bout to the WBO world heavyweight title clash between Kiwi Joseph Parker and Mexican-born American Andy Ruiz at Victor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on December 10.
Funeka was willing to sit down to chat about the biggest fight of his career.
BOXING MECCA: May we have been there done that every time your fight is coming so what is new, how is the weight so far?
ALI FUNEKA: I have been on weight since Mr Lonergan (New Zealand promoter) was here about three weeks ago.
Right now I am around 67.9kg but I keep increasing it because I do not want to go there very weak. In all my fights I have never struggled with weight so to me that is neither here nor there.
BM: But Ali correct me if I am wrong here, this fight is the biggest for you since the Nate Campbell fight in 2009 and Guzman clash in the same year.
AF: Yes my bra it is the biggest and most important for me. You know it is so funny that I am in this position now after those setbacks but it helps to have faith in the God Almighty.
If I were to ask you back then if I would stand on the verge of fighting (Manny) Pacquiao I am sure would have thought that I was crazy especially after what I have been through. But here I am standing on realising my dream of fighting the guy I never thought it’s possible before.
BM: Horn is highly rated and as you have already stated the winner will likely get the Pacquiao sweepstakes. I am told Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum will be ringside as well.
AF: There is no bigger opportunity than that. The motivation for me is all there to succeed so at my age I cannot afford to let this God-given opportunity to slip through my fingers. Bob will be there so even if I do not get Pacquiao, you know he has other high-profile boxers in the welterweight division so either way I will be the winner.
BM: You speak like you have already won this fight Ali yet you will be facing an unbeaten boxer in Horn.
AF: It is because I do not see anything stopping me from getting the big fight out there. Jeff Horn is standing in my way but I will push him aside and march on to mega-bouts.
BM: You are aware that if you win you will also stand in a lofty position to challenge for the IBF title?
AF: That is why I am saying Jeff Horn will not see the distance. I am going there to knock him out and come back home. It is as simply as that. No mangamanga business here.
BM: Hayiboo. I have not seen Ali making these bold predictions. What is going on here?
AF: The God Almighty is with me bra Zifo. And He has told me this so I am going there to fulfil His orders.
I am telling you Jeff Horn will not go the distance with me and fortunately we already know that he does not possess such a granite jaw.
BM: But Ali that is exactly what people are saying about you; that you have a fragile chin.
AF: I know people say that judging by my last fight against Justice Addy this past August but you must remember that each fight has its own strategy.
I went to the Addy fight looking to take him out of there as a result I was even careless because I knew that he would do nothing to me.
But against Horn I will be extra cautious because of the magnitude of the fight and what is at stake.
Still I do not see him going the distance with me.
BM: You are back with Dudu Bungu and I recall Dudu telling me that if there was one boxer who could beat Pacquiao it was you.
AF: Like I said we have always wanted to fight Pacquiao but then it was a pipe dream. We used to fantasise about what I would do to him. But now the fight is so ever closer to realisation only if I keep my end of the bargain. This is my time my bra.
BM: You heard when we were chatting with Dean Lonergan that there would be at least 10000 people cheering for Horn there.
AF: That does not worry me at all. At my age (Funeka is 39) I no longer worry about such things. I go there and shut out every noise or insults and just do a number on my opponent.
BM: Jeff is unbeaten in 15 fights while you have had some losses. He is also 11 years your junior. Does that not worry you?
AF: Not at all.
He may be unbeaten but he has not fought someone like me.
I know he is also young but still I have been able to chop down unbeaten boxers before so it will not be the first.
BM: Yes I recall you inflicting the first loss to Russian Roman Balaev and later to his compatriot Viskhan Murzabekov...
AF: Exactly so it is my habit to beat previously unbeaten boxers.
BM: I see similarities here with your fight against Murzabekov. You went to Russia as an underdog against that country’s unbeaten star in a fight which served as an undercard to a world heavyweight championship when Ruslan Chagaev and Lucas Browne contested for the WBA crown. Again you are going to New Zealand to fight an unbeaten star on the undercard of a world heavyweight championship.
AF: Precisely, you can see that I am going there with a good omen. Difference this time is that I will return with a knockout win.
BM: Have you seen Horn’s video footage?
AF: I have been watching him non-stop including his last bout so I do not only know how he fights but how he thinks as well.
BM: Tell me what have you detected in his boxing makeup?
AF: Without revealing much, I have observed that he relies too much on his right hand. He has decent punch variation but nothing to scare me.
BM: Who has been helping you with sparring?
AF: I have been using Bushby (Giovanni), Athi Mahanjana and Siphiwe Lusizi just for his southpaw stance to be ready for anything. I can tell you that I am prepared.
BM: You must be grateful to what Ayanda Matiti has done for you when people thought that you were over the hill, especially the Tsiko Mulevhedzi debacle.
AF: I am saying if I had Ayanda when I got opportunities to fight the Campbell and Guzman I would have long been a champion by now.
My career would be mentioned alongside the great boxers in the world.
But I guess things happen for a reason because like you said here I am being on the verge of fighting in mega-bouts so God has His own ways of doing things. Who would have thought that after the Tsiko fight I would be here now? I think Ayanda was brought into my life for a reason.
BM: We can only wish you all the best MaAy otherwise we already know what you are capable of.
AF: Thank you my bra for the support all these years.
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