By Mesuli Zifo

DESPITE being dismissed as mere opponent to help Chris John notch up yet another title defence, South African Simpiwe Vetyeka is confident of inflicting the first defeat on the Indonesian when they clash for his IBO and John's WBA featherweight title at Metro City in Perth, Australia on December 6.

The 32-year-old talented yet wayward boxer insists that John is slipping, adding that he will face him when he is ripe for the taking.

John will be vying for the 19th defence of his crown which he has retained among others against Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez and Rocky Juarez.

The Indonesian is a revered sportsman in his native country and was recently honoured by his president Suliso Bambang Yudhoyono who presented him with the Bintang Jasa Star Medal for having made outstanding contribution to his nation.

But Vetyeka is unfazed by all that hype, promising to deal the country yet another setback after dethroning John's compatriot Daud Yordan to take his IBO crown via an upset 12th stoppage in Jakarta this past April.

“After I beat John I am sure I will be labelled as an Indonesian wrecker,” he quipped.

“But to be honest with you I sincerely think John will be an easier opponent than Jordan because I think John is no longer the boxer he was before.

“I have seen slippage as age closes in and I will capitalise on that to shock the world.”

While the 34-year-old John is only two years older than Vetyeka but the Indonesian has been fighting as a professional since the age of 19 with 51 bouts which should bring him wear and tear.

He was not at his best in his last title defence which ended before it could start when an accidental clash of heads with Japanese challenger Satoshi Hosono brought a premature ending in the third round.

Ironically that was the main event of Vetyeka's upset victory over Yordan.

While his win over Yordan has heightened interest in the John bout, Vetyeka admits that financially the fight is not as rewarding as it is supposed to be thanks to the deal signed by his previous manager Nick Durandt.

Vetyeka has since dumped Durandt to link up with former IBF super bantamweight champion Vuyani Bungu who made 13 defences of his crown before moving up to featherweight to get knocked out in four rounds by Naseem Hamed for the WBO crown.

“I do not want to talk about what Nick did to me because it will destroy my spirit ahead of this big fight,” Vetyeka says.

“I want to beat John then I will be able to make up for this slave contract Nick signed for me.”

Vetyeka, nicknamed “V12” has previously held the IBO crown in the bantamweight division which he forfeiting when he could not make the bantamweight limit due to the scarcity of fights.

The boxer who has a calculating boxing styles says John who mostly uses a stick-and move strategy will not be able to run away for 12 rounds.

“The pressure I will apply to him will begin to tell down the stretch because his legs will not carry him any more.”

There were perceptions that Vetyeka's career had virtually ended when he surprisingly dropped a points decision to local unheralded Klaas Mboyane for his second defeat in 27 bouts with the other defeat coming at the hands Hozumi Hasegawa when he challenged for the WBC bantamweight title. He rebounded with a fourth round stoppage win over Sibusiso Khumalo before beating Jordan.

He attributes his lacklustre performance against Mboyane to low spirit caused by his managerial disputes.

Known for hopping from one stable to the other, he says he has learnt his ways and is now on a straight and narrow.

“Knowing that I am talented I used to let that get in my head because I felt that I deserved more than what I was getting. But now I have learnt to settle down and let my boxing do the talking.”

Bungu says Vetyeka is showing great commitment in training as he trains three times a day with his regimen starting with a morning run and wood chopping, then a session at fitness and weight lifting gymnasium in East London before wrapping it up with several rounds of sparring at Siyasebenza (loosely translating we are working hard) Boxing Club.

“Vetyeka has always been a talented boxer who lacks commitment but I must say I am very pleased with what he has been showing in training for this fight,” Bungu says.

“I think he has learnt his mistakes and realises that time is not on his side any more.”

The team will depart on November 25 to finish preparations in Perth.