Byo boxers weight poser

Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO Amateur Boxing Association is in a fix as they are likely to be forced to leave out some of their good boxers for next month’s Zimbabwe National Youth Games in Masvingo due to weight problems.
Speaking after their Saturday’s bill held at Manor Hotel, Baba vice chairman Ezwell Ndlovu said the only setback that they are facing in the build-up to the Zimbabwe National Youth Games is that of same weight for their prospective boxers.

They have to identify 10 boxers for the boys’ category and the same number for the girls.
“Everything has been going on well but the problem that we are facing is that almost 80 percent of the boxers born between 1995 and 1997 have almost the same weight. This means that we will have to work on some of the boxers and try to either increase their weight in time for the final selection set for July 26. We have a good pool of boxers, especially in the boys’ category but most of them fall under the bantamweight and lightweight,” said Ndlovu.

Divisions for the juniors who will participate at the Zimbabwe National Youth Games are  light flyweight (46-48kg), flyweight (48-52kg), bantamweight (52-56kg), lightweight (56-60kg), light welterweight (60-66kg), welterweight (66-71kg), light middleweight (71-75kg), middleweight (75-81kg) and heavyweight (81 plus kg).

Bulawayo’s boxing team contributed a significant number of medals to their province at last year’s Zimbabwe National Youth Games and they are hoping to continue with their dominance in the junior competitions.

“The problem of weight is also affecting other provinces. We have good boxers that we have been identifying and what we want is to assemble a strong squad that will make Bulawayo proud. The good thing is that we are the only province that has been consistently holding monthly tournaments since the beginning of the year,” Ndlovu said.

Their weekend competition was the seventh this year and they had 10 bouts with only two of those – welterweight fight between Brighton Masiyambumbi and Prince Musona as well as Casper Mnkandla’s light weight match against Milton Moyo involving seniors. Masiyambumbi and Mnkandla emerged victorious.