Ryno Liebenberg has fought some big punchers in his time – Tshepang Mohale and Eleider Alvarez come to mind – but he faces arguably the biggest of his career in Germany this weekend.
Vincent Feigenbutz is a vicious banger with 24 KOs in 27 wins. It’s not something that will altogether trouble Liebenberg, for he has a great chin and a relentless style, but he’ll have to be cautious as he aims for a stoppage of his own in Ludwigsburg on Saturday.
He’ll be mindful that both the German’s defeats have come inside the distance, not least because the short route is the only way he’ll get a positive result in Europe. Liebenberg has vowed to pile on the pressure as he seeks to end a run of defeats on the road.
Just 22, Feigenbutz is a busy fighter who fights predominantly behind the jab with a dangerous overhand right. He’ll look to physically overwhelm Liebenberg, although he’ll find a willing partner in the South African, who showed his ring cunning in his last fight against Patrick Mukala, when he bullied the man from DRC on the inside.
For Liebenberg, this is a last-chance saloon fight. He says that anything but a win will see him hang up his gloves after a colourful career. He knows he’s edging ever closer to becoming a mere opponent when remaining a contender is what he really wants.
This weekend will tell us everything we need to know.
Unfortunately, there is no SA TV for this one.
