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Ellina Mhlanga-Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board are consulting stakeholders to come up with a new date for the World Boxing Council super-bantamweight interim title fight between Kudakwashe ”Take Money” Chiwandire and Mexican Zulina Munoz after the eagerly anticipated bout failed to take place for the second time. Chiwandire was supposed to defend her crown against Mexican challenger Munoz at the Harare International Conference Centre on Saturday night.
But the promoters, Delta Force Academy, failed to raise the resources needed to host the tournament, which left the fight in limbo. It has been postponed for the second time. Speaking to The Herald on Friday, ZNBWCB chief executive, Lawrence Zimbudzana, said they had meetings with the various parties.
“The meetings we have had so far are not only with Delta Force but with the various parties that are concerned with this particular title defence.
“The consensus was that the fight could not happen as earlier on advertised on the 1st of October due to some issues that had not been addressed, attended to, which made it virtually impossible for us to proceed to have the tournament on the 1st of October.
“However, it’s just a minor setback because we have actually agreed that the fight does happen because we agreed it’s in the interest of the nation as well as the interest of boxing as well as the interest of the boxer herself that the fight proceeds and she doesn’t get stripped of her title,” said Zimbudzana.
However, he could not reveal the new date of the fight and said the involved parties need to agree on the date and are also in negotiations with the Government who have agreed to chip in.
“So as to the date that we have actually settled for now, I cannot really pronounce the date because we are still having consultations with the various parties again for us to be able to come up with a definite date that we can communicate to the nation.
“But I can state with certainty that the match is going to be on, in not so distant future. We have actually gotten in touch with the Mexican camp, the opponents, the Munoz’s camp as well as WBC who (are) actually agreeable to our latest submission.
“So we are also in consultation and discussion with the Government because the Government has actually committed and agreed to funding this particular title defence quest.
“But the quantum of the Government support at this point in time I cannot divulge because we are still negotiating as to see how the Government is going to come in, in order for us to ensure that Kudakwashe Chiwandire successfully defends her title on home soil.”
This is the second time the fight has been postponed.
It was scheduled for August 27 before it was moved to today. And now, it has been moved to a later date.
“I think some mistakes were made from the beginning because obviously for people to commit to say we are going to have an event, one key area that was supposed to be attended to, was the financials.
“All these dates were made before actually making sure that the critical areas have been attended to, which are in this case financial,” Zimbudzana said.
ZNBWCB and Delta Force Academy were scheduled to hold a joint press conference on Friday but it was called off.
Delta Force Academy director, Clyde Musonda, appeared to have been riled by the move.
“For two days we had meetings with the secretariat, on Wednesday and Thursday, we agreed on certain things, we agreed to communicate our position, have a joint press conference, so I prepared for the press conference.
“But suddenly, one hour before the press conference I get a message that there is no press conference. I am yet to receive the cause, no one briefed me.”
However, Musonda said they have two weeks to put their house in order.
“I am in touch with Zulina’s team as well as the WBC. We informed them accordingly and they heard my situation, they understand and they gave me another two weeks to make sure everything is in place. So we agreed with the opponents and WBC,” said Musonda.
The fight is likely to take place on October 15.
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