Even the most hardened boxing fan is unlikely to have heard of the man challenging Kevin Lerena for his IBO cruiserweight title at Emperors Palace on Saturday night.
Vasil Ducar of the Czech Republic may come with amateur boxing and MMA pedigrees, but in the paid ranks he's got seven wins, six by knockout, and a single 10-round draw for the Czech cruiserweight title.
Lerena, with 22 wins and one loss, doesn't want to look bad.
"I've got to walk through this guy and make a statement like I did in my last fight," Lerena said this week. "Knocking guys out increases your share price."
Lerena the boxer thinks like a businessman too.
His next fight has already been planned, says trainer Peter Smith, adding it will be against a big-name opponent, probably overseas.
Ducar is a holding fight, which is not unusual in boxing - Joe Louis fought journeyman Natie Brown right before he won the world heavyweight crown in 1937.
But these contests come with risk as well.
"He's got everything to gain and I've got everything to lose," Lerena said.
Smith agreed. "On paper he [Ducar] might not look a great opponent but I told Kevin we underestimate no one. Sometimes your least threatening opponent becomes the hardest fight of your career."
Dingaan Thobela was climbing the welterweight rankings in 1996 when he took on unheralded Englishman Geoff McCreesh and carelessly jumped into the right hand of his cornered foe and got knocked out.
Lerena's focus for this fight hadn't wavered, not even after he and his wife separated recently, Smith pointed out.
On paper he [Ducar] might not look a great opponent but I told Kevin we underestimate no one
— Peter Smith
"Kevin knows this is all part of the preparation for the big fights down the line. He knows what he wants out of boxing and he's working for it."
Lerena impressed in his last two bouts, separated by surgery to his right shoulder. Last June he clawed his way back after losing the first two rounds, and post-recovery in March he destroyed unbeaten German Artur Mann in the fourth round.
His growing self-confidence had made him more dangerous, said Smith. "He's really seen what he's capable of ... Kevin realised he has what it takes to put these guys away."
The fight tops an interesting bill with Michael Mokoena returning to junior-welterweight to take on Jabulani Makhense.
Both beat SA champions in their last outings - in non-title bouts - Makhense at 63.50kg and Mokoena at lightweight,
Also in action are Boyd Allen, Keaton Gomes, Roarke Knapp and Ricardo Malajika.
The tournament is live on SS13 from 6pm.
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