By Bongani Magasela
Vastly experienced boxing fundis were rather evasive when pressed to predict the outcome of the title fight between WBC junior lightweight champion Marco Barrera and challenger Mzonke Fana who will meet in Texas on Sunday morning.
Rather than predicting a winner, father of local boxing, Stanley Sono, said Fana would be instrumental in showing and motivating other local boxers on how to prepare for a mega fight.
"As he goes into the lion's den, he is going to give Barrera a fight. Win or lose Barrera will see that he was in a fight," Sono said on Thursday.
In his first fight outside South Africa, Fana dropped a points decision over 12 rounds to Dean Pithie in England for the WBC international super featherweight belt in 1999.
Boxing manager and successful businessman Grant Germanus, a close relative to the Toweel brothers, said he would like to think that Fana would do well in El Paso.
"But my mind tells me that he is on a hiding next to nothing. He is coming up against the best fighter pound for pound in the world. Barrera has proved himself time and again.
"The key for Fana is to get on his bicycle and not stop moving for 12 rounds because, if Barrera catches up with him, it will be good night," he said.
"Fana is a great mover but Barrera is a master of cutting the ring. I believe Fana has got the heart and he will not give up.
"Unfortunately the heart can also get you into trouble."
Meanwhile Golden Gloves publicist Terry Pettifer said the under-rated local boxer could spring a surprise.
"Fana has the most under-rated jab and I think he will give Barrera a hell of a fight, but I do not know whether he will win or lose .
"Fana will need to be extremely cautious for the first six rounds.
"I also want to commend promoter Branco Milenkovic who did a great job to get Fana this fight.
"A win for Fana will be a shot in the arm for SA boxing," said Petiffer, who has been writing about boxing for the past 30 years.
Barrera, who is nicknamed "Baby Faced Assassin", will certainly give Fana the toughest battle of his career in the ring.
Fana's biggest result to date was a thrilling points win over Randy Suico in Soweto in 2004 to earn top position among the WBC contenders.
He had to get up from the canvass to steal a narrow points win over the tough-as-nails Filipino.
The fight against Barrera will be promoted by Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions.
Barrera is the hot favourite.
The 31-year-old champion from Iztcalco City in Mexico is the former WBO super bantam and IBO featherweight holder.
He boasts a record of 59 wins (41 knockouts) and four losses while Fana, the former SA and WBC International holder, has chalked down only 22 victories (8 knockouts) against two defeats. - Sapa