South Africa’s Tommy “Tommy Gun” Oosthuizen (9-0, with 7 knockouts) is firing brimstone out of one eye and cold-fury out the other, in anticipation of his February 27 defence of the WBA Pan Africa super middleweight title against Zambia’s John Chibuta (8-3, with 1 knockout) at Emperors Palace.

“Tommy is really letting rip with his punches in sparring” said Oosthuizen’s trainer Harold Volbrecht, “and I wouldn’t want to be this guy Chibuta for all the tea in China”. Mind you, the 21-year-old Tommy Gun hasn’t had things all his own way of late, and despite an unblemished professional record that earned him three championship belts during 2009; namely the IBO Youth light heavyweight, IBO Youth super middleweight and WBA Pan Africa super middleweights titles, the southpaw from Van Dyk Park, Boksburg, has been involved in some torrid sparring sessions with the likes of heavyweight sensation Flo “The Demolition Man” Simba and  WBA Intercontinental light heavyweight champion Isaac “The Golden Boy” Chilemba.

“Yes, those guys really give Tommy some great workouts, but take it from me, this kid is improving all the time and there’s no telling how good he’ll end up being. Man..his power is actually frightening!” concluded Volbrecht.

That Oosthuizen’s title challenger Chibuta is no vaunted puncher, doesn’t mean the rugged Zambian can’t fight and his record speaks of some enviable wins over the likes of Mordechai Donga, Farai Musiyiwa and Floyd Chongo, who was 14-4 when Chibuta beat him. Then too, Chibuta, who hails from Lusaka, won an ABU junior middleweight eliminator against Donga (7-1) before losing on a 9^th round TKO to the undefeated Zaurbek Baysangurov (12-0) in a tilt at the IBF Youth junior middleweight title. That particular bout took place in Germany during 2006.

“For some reason or other Chibuta never fought in 2007, but he returned to action in 2008 and following another extended layoff, has returned a heavier boxer with meaningful resolve” said Golden Gloves tournament coordinator Shona Mactaggart.

Ironically Chibuta has the same nickname as Oosthuizen’s trainer Volbrecht; both having being dubbed “The Hammer”.

“Be that as it may, the only hammer I want to see land in this fight is the one encased in Oosthuizen’s left glove” quipped Golden Gloves Promoter Rodney Berman, before adding, “make that the right glove too”.