Welterweight rivals Florian Marku (13-0-1, 8 KO’s) and Chris Kongo (14-2, 7 KO’s) have agreed to fight each other next. A date and venue will be confirmed in due course.
A fight between the two has been building for some time and the feud came to a head last summer at the launch press conference for the delayed fight between Dan Azeez and Joshua Buatsi. Angry at some comments Marku posted online, Kongo approached the fiery Albanian whilst he was giving an interview. Kongo didn’t get the answers he sought, instead he received a hefty shove in the chest from the fiery Albanian. Battle lines were drawn there and then.
The unpredictable Marku – who blew away Dylan Moran inside a minute in his last appearance last September – had been mentioned as a possible opponent for former undisputed super lightweight champion Josh Taylor but although he remains unbeaten, his form has been patchy over the past couple of years and he will need to be on his game to get past the talented but enigmatic Kongo, who hasn’t boxed since last January when he lost a majority decision to Ekow Essuman in a bid for the British and Commonwealth welterweight titles.
The pair were at the Sky Sports studios today to announce the news and Marku quickly shot down Kongo’s suggestion that Marku has only taken the fight for financial reasons, whilst he is fighting for his own legacy.
“First of all, we all need money in this life because nothing is for free. Let’s say things how they are,” he said. “Secondly, the only thing that he can fight for at the moment is the legacy because he has lost. I give him the opportunity to fight me because I have other fights to fight. I give him this fight and I am happy because the fans love it, the crowd love it and they think that he’s going to cause me problems. If he’s saying that he doesn’t need money, he’s lying. Nobody works for free.
“He’s going to regret it. He’s going to regret it for sure that he chose to fight me.
“His wish came true. I know that he will be training too much for this fight because that is his most important fight of his life till now. But I have always been training as if it is the most important fight of my life and when we’re in the ring he will understand that.”
The fight is a must win for Kongo. After losing his unbeaten record to Michael McKinson in 2021 and then suffering the setback to Essuman last year, he can’t afford a third defeat at this level.
“I’m excited now. The fight is here. This is what we want, this is what the supporters are asking and we’re going to give it to them. It’s a good one,” the Londoner said.
“Now I believe he’s been backed into a corner, he can’t go nowhere now. He’s got to fight the likes of me or any of the top 10 in the UK now.
“To me, this is what the fight game is. I’m ready to make it happen and show you guys why I am – to this day – the best welterweight in the country.
“I’m better than him. Literally, I believe I’m better than him. I believe through my experience is the way we’re gonna see the win. Let’s wait until the time comes but we will be working.
“He’s a good fighter. He’s improved but he’s not better than Chris Kongo.”