Boxer Chris Van Heerden can’t afford loss at Downtown Events Center
It took a long time for Chris Van Heerden to make it to Las Vegas. But now that he’s here, he hopes it will be the first of many visits.
The 28-year-old welterweight from South Africa is looking to bounce back from his Sept. 11 knockout loss to rising star Errol Spence Jr. in Toronto. Van Heerden (23-2-1, 12 knockouts), said he can’t afford consecutive losses when he faces Canadian Steve Claggett in Saturday’s main event at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. The 10-round fight will be televised by the CBS Sports Network.
“It’s a must-win for me,” Van Heerden said. “Not only because I’m coming off a loss, but because it’s Vegas and no fighter wants to look bad when he’s fighting in Vegas.”
Van Heerden, a former International Boxing Organization welterweight champ, turned pro in 2006 and went undefeated in his first 15 fights in his native land. But the first time he traveled outside South Africa to fight in 2010, he lost a 12-round split decision to Serbia’s Nikola Stevanovic in his hometown of Belgrade.
Van Heerden then defeated Matthew Hatton, Cosme Rivera, Ray Narth and Cecil McCalla. The McCalla fight was for the vacant International Boxing Federation international welterweight title.
But then came the test against Spence, a 2012 U.S. Olympian. Van Heerden flunked, getting stopped in the eighth round. He said there were mitigating circumstances surrounding the fight that Spence dominated.
“That wasn’t me in the ring that night,” Van Heerden said. “I don’t want to make excuses. Errol Spence is the future of boxing. But my trainer never showed up for the fight, and you can imagine what that does to a fighter.”
Eric Brown now trains Van Heerden, and the fighter said he’s ready for Claggett (23-3-1, 16 KOs).
“My mind is in the right place,” Van Heerden said. “I’m focused. I’m ready. I don’t believe (Claggett) has my skill. He hasn’t fought the same competition I have.
“I look at this as my coming-out party. For a kid like me from South Africa to be fighting in Las Vegas, it’s a dream come true. I want to make a good impression so they’ll have me back.”
The first bell is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow on Twitter: @stevecarprj
