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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
WORLD Boxing Federation African heavyweight champion Elvis “Bulawayo Bomber” Moyo will next month defend his title against a yet to be named Zambian opponent.
Having been barred from boxing in South Africa because of his involvement in the Extreme Fighting Championships (EFC) Africa mixed martial arts, Moyo is likely to face Joseph Chingangu or Francis “Galagata” Zulu in Zambia on September 20.
Speaking from his Johannesburg base yesterday, Moyo who knocked out South Africa’s Wilhelm “Tiny” Strauss in an EFC bout last Thursday night said he has started preparing for his title defence.
Should the Zambian fight materialise, it will be Moyo’s first fight in nine months, with his last boxing bill being the title fight against Osbourne Machimana in Cape Town last November.
“I have started preparing for my boxing match against a yet to be named opponent. My team has been talking with former Zambian boxer Anthony Mwamba who is now managing a number of guys in his home country and trains Chingangu for a possible fight.
“He has given us September 20, as the provisional date for me to defend my title and has also said the bill might also see me fighting for another belt.
“I am really itching to get back to the ring and because of lack of activity especially in the heavyweight division this has kept me out for nine solid months.
“I am a boxer and I want to fight but unfortunately no one has been man enough to challenge for my title,” said Moyo.
According to BoxRec.Com, Moyo has fought 11 times winning bouts against Kali kalembe and Stephen Castle at Emperors Palace in 2011.
His third victory was against Justice Silinga in 2012 and last year in November he pummeled Machimana in a title fight.
The Bulawayo Bomber has lost five times to Danie Venter, Joseph Chingangu, Flo Simba and Ilunga Makaba who knocked him out twice in 2008 and 2010.
Moyo’s draws were against Machimana at the beginning of last year and Jonny Muller in 2010.
The former Tshaka Youth Centre pugilist has since the beginning of the year been involved in cage fighting managing two defeats and two wins in the process.
EFC Africa stages bouts every six weeks and to defend his boxing title, Moyo has turned down the offer to fight at Durban’s cage fight next month as he is preparing for his Zambia trip.
“I won’t fight in Durban as I will be going to Zambia. I have been working hard and I can’t say I have any rust even though it has been nine months without boxing but I have been training and competing in EFC Africa which is equally good.
“I know that between now and September 20 I will be in good shape because I just need only three weeks to prepare for a boxing match after competing in a cage fight,” said Moyo.
derick.khumalo