SILKY technician Chris Kongo promises to deliver a late stoppage against Owen Cooper, before chasing the biggest fights possible at super-welterweight.
The two Brits will square off at the Nottingham Arena, England, on May 10, featuring on the undercard of Anthony Cacace and Leigh Wood’s mouth-watering super-featherweight showdown.
With his stablemate, former world champion Wood, topping the bill, Kongo, 17-2 (7 KOs), is equally determined to make it two wins from two at the Ben Davison Performance Centre.
Most importantly, though, the 32-year-old hopes to restore a degree of momentum in his career after trudging through two six rounders during the second half of last year.
Following his comprehensive unanimous decision victory over Florian Marku at the beginning of 2024, many expected Kongo to build on what was a scintillating performance.
But despite remaining in the win column, a lack of notable fights since his career-best victory on paper has largely kept him in the wilderness.
“I was very disappointed [following the Marku fight],” Kongo told Boxing News. “I wanted more big fights but they just didn’t happen.
“You never know what goes on behind the scenes so, for me, I just kept working.
“[Cooper is] a good opponent. He’s a come forward fighter, but we’ve seen him box on the back foot as well.
“He’s a mixture of both [styles], and I can’t wait to show what I’ve been doing in the gym and get that win, because I know I’m going to win. It will be a late knockout, for sure.
“I’ll get those big fights after this. It’s like a bus: the first stop is Owen Cooper, and then we move on to the next opponent.”
Sure enough, his next assignment represents an opportunity for ‘2Slick’ to catapult himself back onto the domestic scene at 154lbs.
Both Kongo and Cooper, 10-1 (4 KOs), have suffered defeats to former British champion Ekow Essuman, who locks horns with Josh Taylor on May 24.
But still, the winner of their clash will place himself in a strong position to challenge for the vacant Lonsdale Belt, which is expected to be contested by Sam Gilley and Louis Greene later this year.
Even away from the British super-welterweight title, the likes of Josh Kelly, Lee Cutler and Ishmael Davis all represent solid domestic names, and indeed possible opponents.
