All set for Africa Day Boxing event in Byo

Innocent Kurira

OVER 100 budding boxers are set to congregate at Palace Hotel in Bulawayo tomorrow (Saturday) for an amateur boxing tournament.

The tournament is hosted by the Zimbabwe Boxing Federation (ZBF) and is expected to showcase talent from across the country’s 10 provinces. Over the years, there has been an upsurge in enthusiasm following the recent achievements of Zimbabwean boxers, including Charles Manyuchi, Brendon Denes and Kudakwashe Chiwandire.

ZBF technical director, Steven Masiyambumbi is optimistic the tournament will be highly competitive.
“All provinces will be represented, and we are expecting over 100 boxers, both male and female. Our preparations have gone well and we are excited to be back in Bulawayo. We recently had a successful competition in Beitbridge and we hope for an even bigger and better competition in Bulawayo,” he said.

In the Africa Day tourney, there will be boxers from the Zimbabwe National Army, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services, the Air Force of Zimbabwe, local boxing clubs like Tshaka and Nketa as well as others dotted around the city’s western suburbs.

Traditionally, the security forces particularly the Zimbabwe National Army have the largest pool of amateur boxers, given the number of boxing clubs with military barracks that are well-resourced with equipment.

This will be the umpteenth time that the establishment, Palace Hotel, will be hosting a boxing tournament in recent years, giving renewed hope to local boxing fans that the sport is still alive and well in Zimbabwe after years of stagnation.

Clubs from all the provinces that are expected to be part of the tournament include Black Rhinos, HQ 1 Brigade, 5 Brigade, Bulawayo Metropolitan, Prisons and Correctional Services, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, Harare, Midlands, Victoria Falls Boxing Academy, Manyuchi Boxing Academy, Masvingo, Gwanda and Hwange.—@innocentskizoe