Former junior lightweight title challenger Azinga Fuzile had been set for a fight at home in South Africa when the phone rang.

Fuzile accepted the offer and will now face unbeaten Sultan Zaurbek as chief support to unified middleweight titleholder Zhanibek Alimkhanuly-Anauel Ngamissengue at the Barys Arena, Astana, Kazakhstan.

"It is huge opportunity for me that I've been praying and wishing I can get one day," Fuzile (18-2, 12 knockouts) told The Ring. "Now it's happening, and I don't see myself letting this opportunity to slide away.

"That's why I am going all out in my training sessions. The people will witness what am saying, 'Azinga is now much more mature, he's changed.'"

The 28-year-old southpaw is confident of claiming the win by any means necessary.

"The aim is to be victorious, no matter what, to win the fight KO or points, but I must be victorious on that day," he said.

"I think he's a good fighter, with a good record, but I don't think he's a threat to me and I don't underestimate him, he has a boxing IQ."

Fuzile, who had been a professional since 2014, worked his way up on the local scene notably beating former two-time IBF junior lightweight titlist Malcolm Klassen (TKO 4) and tough Mexican Romulo Koasicha (UD 12).

Those wins saw him outbox future IBF 130-pound titleholder Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov before getting stopped in eight rounds amid controversy, in an IBF title eliminator. Rakhimov's corner used smelling salts between the seventh and eighth rounds which are banned in boxing and appeared to revive a flagging Rakhimov.

With Covid hitting Fuzile didn't fight for 20-months. When he returned, he stopped Martin J. Ward (TKO 7) in an IBF title eliminator. He then contested the vacant IBF title against Kenichi Ogawa and was down twice losing a 12-round unanimous decision in November 2021. Since then, he has fought three times.

"After my loss against Ogawa things were not the same," he said. "I fought once and that was it under my promotion, Rumble Africa, then after that I heard no plans for me going forward.

"It affected me because I was inactive. Until I met [my manager] Mla. [Tengimfene], he organized a fight for me, that's where I became active again in boxing. He promised to put me back where I belong and make me a worthy world champion. That's the direction we are now taking, and it starts with Sultan."

Tengimfene recognizes the size of the task in front of his fighter but believes the opportunity is one worth taking.

"This opens Azinga up for bigger things and it couldn't have come at a better moment," said Tengimfene. "He is ripe and ready. This opportunity has shortened his way to the top and he will grab it with both hands.

"Sultan is a hell of a fighter with a good amateur pedigree having come through the Kazakhstan boxing program as a young fighter. However, Azinga has been tested in the elite level and knows exactly what is expected. Azinga's experience will win the fight for him. After this win, Azinga will cruise all the way to the world title.

Zaurbek (19-0, 13 KOs) has been a professional since 2018, his career has been something of a slow burn since then. Much of the Kazakhstani's early career took place in England before heading home for a handful of fights.

The 28-year-old southpaw has beaten John Carter (TKO 3), Roman Reynoso (TKO 1) and, most recently, Damian Wrzesinski (UD 10).