adminRicky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
SOUTH Africa-based Zimbabwean cage fighter Elvis “Bulawayo Bomber” Moyo is set for a title revival fight against Vandam Mbuyi in the Extreme Fighting Championship Africa (EFC) 47 at Carnival City in Johannesburg next month.
Moyo, whose last bill was in June when he lost to Poland’s Tomasz “Kredka” Kowalkowski, will trade leather with Mbuyi on December 12.
A victory against the Pole would have enhanced the Bulawayo Bomber’s chances of getting a title fight before the end of the year.
The defeat therefore blew away Moyo’s chances of getting a title fight and now he has to start afresh to return to a position that will enable him to compete for a title.
Kowalkowski knocked out Moyo 37 seconds into the first round, hitting him with the right knee.
Speaking from his base yesterday, Moyo said his preparations for the fight against Mbuyi, who has three career wins and two defeats, were going on well.
“I learnt the hard way against my Polish opponent and that defeat was a setback for me as I was eyeing a title fight. The mistake I made then was to think that Kredka was going to take me to the ground just like other opponents, but he was quick to see a gap and he used his knee to knock me out,” said Moyo.
“I simply gave him that win. However, that’s now water under the bridge and I’m gearing up for Mbuyi. I need to convincingly win this coming fight to enhance my chances of getting an early title fight,” he said.
The Bulawayo Bomber has had seven fights at the EFC Championship Africa, winning four of those encounters and losing three.
Moyo’s victories were against Sors “Guru” Grobbelaar in his debut cage fight in March last year, Wilhelm “Tiny” Strauss in August and Didier-Kilola in November. Lance Cerenio was Moyo’s last victim in February.
The Bulawayo Bomber lost twice last year to Brendon Groenwald in May and Andrew Van Zyl in July. His third defeat was against Kowalkowski.
Should he beat Mbuyi, Moyo, a winner of the World Boxing Federation African heavyweight belt in 2013, will need to win another bill in February to revive his EFC Championship title fight hopes.
The former Tshaka Youth Centre boxer said heavyweight cage fighters on the continent are scared of facing him.
“I know I’ll beat Mbuyi, but the problem is that I might fail to get an opponent for the first tournament of the year that takes place in February. A number of prospective challengers have in the past withdrawn from scheduled fights after coming up with funny stories. Remember Kredka came in as a last minute replacement for Congolese’ Ricky Misholas who had pulled out,” he said.
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