Lenar Perez to next fight Thabiso Mchunu in cruiserweight battle on September 3
Lenar Perez, the Cuban cruiserweight contender, will take on Thabiso Mchunu in a crossroads bout, staged by Eye Of The Tiger, on September 3 at the Casino de Montreal.
Perez, 16-0 (14 KOs), is fresh off another learning bout after going the full 10 while oupointing Isaac Chilemba in March.
Mchunu, 25-8 (14 KOs) and 38 years old, is 10 years older than his unbeaten opponent and has the extra experience to match. The South African southpaw has twice challenged for world titles.
In 2016 he was stopped by Oleksandr Usyk before, six years later, losing a split decision to Ilunga Makabu in a bid for the WBC cruiserweight belt. He can boast victories over fighters like Denis Lebedev, Eddie Chambers and Thomas Oosthuizen.
“Thabiso Mchunu has a wealth of experience against the very best in the world. This is exactly the kind of fight that will allow me to prove that I belong among the elite of the division myself," said Perez, a four-time Cuban national amateur champion who is ranked by all four sanctioning bodies in the cruiserweight class.
"We believe Lenar Perez is the best cruiserweight in the world, and while we wait for the opportunity to prove it against Jai Opetaia or David Benavidez, we intend to send a clear message to them and the entire division through Mchunu on September 3," added EOTTM President Camille Estephan.
The co-feature will be a local affair as Montreal fighters Moreno Fendero, 15-0 (11 KOs) and Stephane Fondjo, 15-2-1 (10 KOs) square off in a super middleweight bout.