After the mesmerising win over Malcolm Klassen almost everyone agrees that Azinga Fuzile deserves a “gimme fight”.
“Gimme fights” are bouts considered to be featuring a softer opponent to provide a boxer with some action to keep him rust-free without a risk of losing.
That is how Tanzanian Ibrahim Class is being viewed ahead of his IBF Africa junior-lightweight title challenge to the unbeaten Duncan Village star.
This time there is no buzz as it was the case leading to the Klassen bout in October.
Klassen had badly beaten up local boxers and was coming with a big reputation of being a two-time IBF champion, a title he lost to American Robert Guererro.
Guererro would use the win to position himself for a Floyd Mayweather sweepstakes.
That Fuzile only needed four rounds to force Klassen to quit was a major feat in his young professional career.
But with the visit of Class, excitement is rather mooted although just watching the left-handed artist ply his trade will be satisfying enough.
Tanzanian boxers have generally not fared well in the country to put it mildly.
Bluntly speaking, they have been woeful, some falling hard after only catching the wind of the blow.
From Francisco Miyeyusho, who was easily blown away by Zolani Tete’s weak jab, to Selemani Bangaiza, who reacted similarly against Zolani’s brother Makazole, as well as Emilio Norfat, who easily folded against Xolisani Ndongeni.
The general feeling is that Tanzanian boxers are bums who should be banned from fighting in this country as they offer nothing to test local stars.
But Class comes with some sort of credentials. He can claim to be a world champion as he holds the little recognised Global Boxing Council World Super Featherweight title from when he beat SA boxer Koos Sibiya, who had no business being approved to fight for the title in the first place.
Refreshingly, Class has also fought abroad with commendable results and therefore he will not be overawed by the deafening noise of the local spectators as his compatriots seemed to be when they were accosted by the partisan Orient Theatre crowd.
In fact Fuzile’s manager Colin Nathan feels Class will test his charge.
“He is not too bad if you scrutinise his fight record,” said Nathan.
“He has fought in his opponents’ backyards, such as in Panama, England, you name them, and came back with a victory.”
But it would be an upset of the universe if Class manages to compete against Fuzile, let alone beat him. The fight can just be considered a nice Christmas payday for Fuzile before he accelerate his pursuit of world honours next year...