Muller's Christmas Cracker opponent won't want to explode like the last one

Most novices would lack the confidence to brush off an experienced pugilist like Johnny “The Hurricane” Muller as simply human‚ but Youssef Mwanza isn’t one of them.

The two boxers are scheduled to trade blows over eight rounds in the main bout of the Christmas Cracker tournament at Emperors Palace on December 5.

A look at their records — Muller has engaged in 30 professional outings and Mwanza just 10 — suggests the muscle-bound upstart is on a hiding to nothing.

Mwanza thinks otherwise.

“He’s just a human like me‚” said the DRC fighter who relocated to Johannesburg a year ago to further his boxing career.

“There’s nothing to worry about. The difference [in experience] doesn’t mean anything to me‚” he added through a translator.

Muller boasts 20 wins with 14 knockouts‚ as well as eight defeats and two draws‚ compared to the young gun’s record of 7-2-1 (3 KOs).

Muller‚ a bulldozer in the ring‚ has been tamed only by those with superior artistry or greater grunt.

“I will use everything — all my skills against him — firstly my brain‚ then my power‚” said Mwanza‚ who moonlights as a security guard.

Trainer Manny Fernandes says Mwanza is a useful switch-hitter‚ to the point that he cannot tell whether he is naturally orthodox or a lefty.

“But I prefer him at southpaw. I like a boxer to focus on one stance‚ but if it works for him‚ then let him do it.”

Muller is eager to get his career back on track after losing four of his last five bouts‚ most recently to Thabiso Mchunu‚ who fights for the WBC International cruiserweight title in the US on Saturday night.

Muller’s last victory came at the last Christmas Cracker tournament last year‚ a second-round technical knockout of then unbeaten prospect Herman Potgieter.

That win broke Muller’s three-fight losing streak (against Oleksandr Usyk‚ Kevin Lerena and Micki Nielsen) as well as Potgieter’s taste for the sport‚ based on the fact he hasn’t returned to the ring since.

The pedigree of Mwanza’s previous opponents is hard to ascertain‚ and that is the question that will be answered next month; if they were tomato cans he will end up with tomato sauce on his face.

The tournament will also feature undefeated youngsters like bantamweight Joshua Studdard‚ super-middleweight Rowan Campbell and cruiserweight Josh Roos.