Isaac ‘Golden Boy’ Chilemba is rated Africa’s number one in the super middleweight division, according to United Kingdom boxing authority www.boxing.co.uk.
Chilemba, who is in the United States training, is among four Africans in the top 100 boxers in the world. The others are South Africans Thomas Oosthuizen, William Gare and Ghanain Joseph Kwadjo.
On the world chart, the Malawian is ranked 15 out of 100 while the Colombian he defeated, Edson Miranda, is on position 14. Oosthuizen, who drew with Chilemba in 2010, is 16th in the world and second on the continent.
His latest ranking reflects that he is getting closer to a world title fight, noted Professional Boxing Committee chairperson Lonzoe Zimba on Thursday.
“He has been fighting 10-rounders because these are elimination fights until he meets the last challenger, then a world title holder in a 12-round bout. Therefore, the better the ranking, the better his chances of getting to a world title fight,†Zimba explained.
Chilemba’s professional career of 15 wins, eight knockouts (KOs) and one loss contributed 47 percent to his ranking. The super middleweight category’s maximum weight is 76.21 kilogrammes.
The Malawian pugilist faces American Cory Cummings on September 29 in a non-title fight, his third choice opponent after Hungarian Zsolt Edie withdrew due to a broken rib, then his replacement Paul Vasques failed a medical test last week.
Cummings is rated below Chilemba at position 58, but the Malawian on Friday refused to underrate him saying through an e-mail: “Cummings’ record is 18 wins and four losses.â€
The other South African, Gare, comes on a distant position 30 while Kwadjo, who lies third in Africa, is 84th in a category whose number one is Romanian Lucian Bute.
The Romanian is undefeated in 27 fights, winning 22 by knockouts (KOs). Translating to 81 percent win by TKOs. Ukranian Stanyslav Kashtanov is at the tail end, 100th.
Fighting under DiBella Entertainment, Chilemba has been training at Hit Factory Gym just off the Strip Las Vegas under his new trainer Buddy Mcgirt. He travelled to the United States with his South African manager Jodi Solomons. Chilemba’s record is (19-1-9 KOs).
