When big Juan Alberts steps under the lights at Emperors Palace later this month, his pulse will be racing more than usual.
He’s nervous enough in these early days as a pro fighter, but having Lennox Lewis ringside will crank up the pressure. The former world heavyweight champion has been told about the West Rand puncher and wants to take a look for himself.
“It’s a massive opportunity and an honour to have one of the greats watch me,” said the novice heavyweight. “It could open up doors, but it’s also stressful. He will have high expectations.”
Alberts comes with strong recommendations, not least from trainer Ryno Liebenberg, who says he is “special”. In his pro debut two months ago, the heavyweight looked calm and measured as he dispatched Mpendulo Ranapo in the first round.
These are early days, but he has two things going for him. First is his size. He’s every inch the modern heavyweight, walking around at 134kg but expecting to come in under 130kg on October 26. He also has a formidable engine, able to crank out a sub-60 minute 10km run, which is remarkable for a man of his dimensions. Dropping four or five kilograms will also make him that much faster, adding speed to his power.
He’s also young (23) and has a strong work ethic. Trainer Damien Durandt, who sees Alberts twice a week when he pops into his Linksfield gym for sparring with Akani Phuzi, says the heavyweight is non-stop. Phuzi is more experienced and can handle himself, but Alberts doesn’t let up, absorbing lessons every step of the way.
Critically, he’s already mixed it up with a slew of veterans, like Chris Thompson, Johnny Muller and SA heavyweight champion Shaun Potgieter, and his chin has held up just fine. For any aspirant heavyweight, this might be the most important quality of all.
Alberts comes from a fighting family. His father and uncles were amateur boxers and he enjoyed listening to their stories.
Young Alberts himself grew up in Krugersdorp where he wrestled, earning bronze at the SA championship in both Greco-Roman and freestyle. Given his size, he was also drawn to rugby, playing number eight and earning selection for the Craven Week side.
At 23, he’s immersed in boxing, having tried it and discovered he was pretty useful. He had six amateur bouts, winning them all, before signing for the pros.
“That first fight was lekker,” he says of his pro debut in August. “I was nervous as hell . . . such a big crowd and opportunity. I want to be one of those boxers who brings South Africans together and also represent those farmers who provide for everyone.”
He loves working with Liebenberg, whom he long admired as a boxer. Yet the singular figure he looks up to is George Foreman, who came from nothing to rule the boxing world. Alberts isn’t arrogant enough to visualise that for himself, but he believes that modelling himself on such an example can only offer hope.
He says he would like to fight as much as possible over the next 18 months, both to open doors and to get people talking. He knows that winning will lead to opportunities and he hopes these include an overseas bout. “But keeping on winning is number one,” he says, knowing full well how unforgiving the sport can be.
It partly explains why his approach to boxing is based on common sense. His style, he says, will depend on his opponent and he already knows that rushing in throwing bombs can be boxing suicide. He says he can temper his aggression and adapt to the circumstances, important qualities in boxing’s most explosive division.
Promoter Rodney Berman, who has seen them all in his five decades as a promoter, is too smart to label Alberts the second coming. But his instincts are well-honed and he believes the fighter is well set.
“Firstly, the kid is hungry, plus he works hard,” said Berman. “He has an excellent trainer in Ryno, who won’t waste his time with slackers. He’s humble and he puts in the effort. You take one look at him and you see a young giant, so there’s a lot to work with. I look forward to Golden Gloves being part of his journey.”
