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South African Tommy
Oosthuizen Defends
Title Saturday With Eye On The Big Prize
Aware of the red-hot action at the top of the
light-heavyweight division, IBO champion Tommy Oosthuizen
intends crashing the party before the year is out.
The unbeaten South African (24-0-2, 14 KOs) defends his
title for the first time at Emperors Palace, east of
Johannesburg, on Saturday against Robert Berridge (26-2-1,
21 KOs) of New Zealand.
He tops the “D-Day at the Palace” tournament, which includes
world-rated Mateusz Masternak against Johnny Muller in an
intriguing 10-rounder.
After Saturday, Oosthuizen intends chasing down WBC champion
Adonis Stevenson for a September showdown. Promoter Rodney
Berman has already entered negotiations with the lineal
champion’s management.
Oosthuizen has beaten a slew of contenders, chiefly
countryman Ryno Liebenberg, plus Ezequiel Maderna, Serge
Yannick and Marcus Johnson, but is desperate to nail a
“name” opponent.
In 2014, while still campaigning at super-middleweight,
there were moves to match him with Andre Ward, a fight that
would have placed Oosthuizen firmly in the spotlight.
The fast-handed southpaw admits that the failure to secure a
major match-up has seen him lose focus and allow his
discipline to wane. Berman has had him on the carpet a
number of times for his late-night carousing and slack
attitude to training, but ever since he was handed a final
warning Oosthuizen has been on the straight and narrow.
“I’m definitely taking the sport more seriously. I was
waiting for the big fights. They never came, so I got
bored,” he says. “I neglected the game, never showed it
enough respect. But that’s behind me. I practically live in
the gym now.”
Oosthuizen turned in a career-best performance in dominating
rugged Liebenberg in March. He was in the gym soon after,
although he had to change tack three weeks ago when Roberto
Bolonti, his original opponent, reneged on his contract with
Golden Gloves. Berridge, a fellow southpaw, then stepped in.
Fortunately Oosthuizen had been helping cruiserweight
Thabiso Mchunu, another left-hander, with sparring for his
recent bout. Stablemates Flo Simba and Johnny Muller have
also provided sparring.
Oosthuizen has studied a couple of Berridge’s fights on
video. He sees a man who clearly comes to fight.
“He’s a top competitor, someone willing to give what it
takes. He’s a tough, strong guy with a will to win. The
trouble for him is that my head’s back in the right place.
I’m comfortable at light-heavy, which is an exciting
division with lots of competition.”
With just two draws in an otherwise flawless 26-fight
career, Oosthuizen claims he has never been hurt as a pro
fighter. “I was hurt emotionally by those two draws, because
I know I’m better than that. But I’ve never been shook up .
. . that’s the truth.”
He says no single opponent has stood out for his power,
although he rates American contender Marcus Johnson, whom he
beat on points in Oklahoma three years ago, as his toughest
opponent. “He was a hot prospect and came hungry. But I
handled him.”
Surveying the current landscape at light-heavyweight, he
rates both Sergey Kovalev, the WBA, IBF and WBO champion,
and Stevenson as outstanding adversaries.
“They deserve to be on top. They wouldn’t be there if they
didn’t impress the world. I’d fight either of them. I’m
ready now, I just need the chance. I want the big names.
”I know people said I looked good against Liebenberg, but
that wasn’t my best. I was probably at my best when I
stopped Evert Bravo in nine rounds in a title fight four
years ago. As good as that was, though, my best is still to
come.”
Oosthuizen’s new attitude, which suggests he may have
finally left his tearaway days behind him, points to a
dangerous fighter.
He needs to win well against Berridge this Saturday. Only
then will the super fights he craves come into the
reckoning.
Undercard action includes a WBA Pan-Africa lightweight title
fight between former IBF champion Mzonke Fana and hot
prospect Xolisani Ndongeni, plus Luyando Jako of South
Africa against unbeaten Roman Zhailauov of Kazakhstan in an
eight-round welterweight clash.
Heavyweights Ruann Visser and Steve Shumba clash over four.
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