South Africa based Malawian boxer Isaac Miguel Chilemba is confident he will exorcise ‘weight demons’ that marred his last fight against Russian Pavel Silyagin in November last year.
Chilemba, who arrived in Poland on Monday ahead of the double title fight against undefeated Osleys Iglesias of Cuba, said he had done his homework to avoid a repeat of last year’s bout when he was disqualified from a World Boxing Council fight.
Memories are still fresh in Chilemba’s camp after he failed to make the super middleweight category following his decision to reduce his weight from light heavyweight category.
On that occasion, Chilemba was overweight as he weighed 77.5kg instead of 76.2kg to fail to qualify for a super middleweight category.
Chilemba, speaking ahead of tomorrow’s weigh-in session, blamed the last incident on disturbances within his camp.
“Last time I had personal issues that disturbed everything. I don’t have a problem with making weight, I will be just fine,” said the southpaw boxer.
Eventually, Chilemba lost to Silyagin but if the Malawian had won the fight, he could not belt. have been handed the
Golden Boy, as Chilemba is known, said he was focused on the 12-round bout slated for Hala Globus Lublin in Poland on Friday.
“I am feeling great and in good shape. My preparations were great. I am 100 percent ready to rumble,” he said.
Chilemba said he was unmoved with Iglesias’ undefeated record as two titles, IBO and WBA international super middleweight, were on the line.
“I am taking this fight just as any other fight. This means two more championships under my belt. My trainer Sean Smith was fantastic and I had multiple sparring partners,” he said.
Chilemba, 34, has 26 wins including eight defeats and three draws whereas Iglesias has a perfect record with five straight knockouts.
