adminTadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
THE pair of boxers Brendan Denes and Freeman Mabvongwe, who are said to have been banned from the sport, are claiming they are unaware of such a development.
The duo was banned in March after they participated in amateur tournaments, against the code that governs professional boxers.
Mabvongwe and Denes first participated in a five-nation amateur tournament in Victoria Falls last December, against boxers from other SADC region, including Zambia and Malawi.
It is at that tournament where the two earned the right to represent Zimbabwe at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Qualifiers.
Both lost in the semi-finals but, when their pictures circulated on social media, the ZWBCB noticed the two had defied their warning against taking part at that tournament.
They immediately banned the duo.
The World Boxing Federation were also reported to have reprimanded Denes.
But, the boxer yesterday opened up, for the first time since the saga was first reported.
“I just heard through both social and mainstream media that I had been banned. What I can say is that, I have not received any official letter to that effect,” he said.
“I am actually preparing for my WBF title defence after the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“My coach (Ali Phiri) and my team know that we are not banned as I still have my belt. If I had been stripped, then why do I still have the belt?
“I cannot be asked to respond to a ban that exists only in the media.
I have not been banned.”
ZWBCB general-secretary, Lawrence Zimbudzana, insisted the boxers remain banned and the board were waiting for their response.
Online Reporter