DAVE Peñalosa takes on what should be the stiffest test of his career thus far. A fight that should determine his future in the sport.

“This is a big test for him. If he gets through this, I see him becoming a (world) champion,” Dave’s uncle and promoter Gerry Peñalosa told SunStar Cebu.

Dave, 28, challenges South African Lerato Dlamini for the latter’s World Boxing Council (WBC) International featherweight belt in the main features of a boxing show in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on July 12, 2019.

The fight card will be headlined by Amir Khan versus Neeraj Goyat.

“(This will determine) if he’s the real deal,” said Gerry, a two-division world champion in his boxing days.

Dave just passed his most recent test with flying colors after stopping Mexican veteran Marcos Cardenas in four rounds last Feb. 16 at the SM City North Edsa Skydome in Quezon City.

Dlamini should be a step up in competition for Dave.

Dlamini won his WBC International belt with a split decision over Sydney Maluleka in April 2018. Six months later, he captured the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) Continental Africa featherweight belt with a points victory over Haidari Mchanjo. He also owns a win over former world champion Simpiwe Vetyeka, who he beat by majority decision in 2017.

“He’s (Dlamini) a very good boxer,” warned Gerry.

Both Dave and Dlamini are world-ranked in the featherweight class.

Dave, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental featherweight titleholder, is rated 12th in the WBO and 15th in the IBF. Dlamini, in the meantime, is rated 11th in the WBC and 14th in the IBF.

Dave is unbeaten with a record of 15-0 with 11 knockouts, while Dlamini is 12-1 with six knockouts. (EKA)