World ranked heavyweight contender Chauncey Welliver (51-5-5, 19 KOs) looks to continue his climb up the world rankings next Saturday in his adoptive home of Auckland, New Zealand when he defends his WBO Asia Pacific heavyweight championship and his WBC Asia Council heavyweight title against tough African brawler Moyoyo Mensah (21-8-1, 9 KOs) at The Corporate Box in Auckland on January 28th.
Welliver, who is ranked at #6 by the WBC and #11 by the WBO hopes to land the coveted shot against one of the reigning champion Klitschko brothers in 2012, and recognizes that anything less than a dominant performance at this point could jeopardize that potential fight.
Welliver is the winner of his last sixteen fights and has established himself as one of the most recognizable heavyweights in all of Asia with nine fights in New Zealand and two in China since 2008.
Although criticism does exist over the level of his competition in that period of time, even his critics admit that he is proving to be the most active heavyweight contender in the world, with six regional championship fights in 2011 alone. Many insiders recognize that, with his name recognition in China, Australia, and New Zealand, he proves to be an attractive potential opponent for the Klitschko’s.
However, boxing insiders also recognize that the smaller Moyoyo Mensah is still a dangerous fighter in his own right. The Ghana born Kiwi is the reigning WBO African cruiserweight champion who has also held the ABU cruiserweight, PABA cruiserweight, WBA Pan African, and holds wins over former “Contender series” star Max Alexander as well as Nigerian cruiserweight contender Chidi Enoma in his first reign as WBO African Cruiserweight Champion back in 2003.
Although Welliver is also seen as the biggest, and most accomplished, fighter he has ever faced, most still see Mensah as a live underdog in this fight.
The Corporate Box is located at Level 5, 92 Albert Street, in Auckland. Tickets can be obtained by calling Craig Thomson at 021-717-014 from inside New Zealand, and 011-64-21-717-014 from the United States.
By David Finger
http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/welliver-back-in-action-saturday-in-new-zealand-106704