Lenar Perez will face veteran Thabiso Mchunu in a cruiserweight crossroads fight on September 3 at the Casino de Montreal.
Perez (16-0, 14 KOs), a Cuban contender promoted by Eye of the Tiger, is coming off a 10-round decision win over Isaac Chilemba in March. The fight gave him more rounds and experience after a career built largely on stoppages.
Mchunu (25-8, 14 KOs) brings the kind of résumé Perez has not yet faced as a professional. The 38-year-old South African southpaw has twice challenged for world titles, losing to Oleksandr Usyk in 2016 and later dropping a split decision to Ilunga Makabu for the WBC cruiserweight belt.
Mchunu also owns wins over Denis Lebedev, Eddie Chambers and Thomas Oosthuizen, making him a serious experience test for the unbeaten Cuban.
“Thabiso Mchunu has a wealth of experience against the very best in the world,” Perez said. “This is exactly the kind of fight that will allow me to prove that I belong among the elite of the division myself.”
EOTTM president Camille Estephan said the goal is to send a message to the top cruiserweights, including Jai Opetaia and David Benavidez. The co-feature will also keep Montreal in focus, with Moreno Fendero (15-0, 11 KOs) facing Stephane Fondjo (15-2-1, 10 KOs) in a super middleweight bout.
