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Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
HER story is full of trials and tribulations.
She needed a platform to tilt everything for the better.
And when she got one, she grabbed it with both hands.
Kudakwashe “Take Money” Chiwandire has finally made the money.
She successfully defended her World Boxing Council super-bantamweight interim title in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The 27-year-old outfoxed her stocky challenger Zulina Munoz of Mexico at the Harare International Conference Centre.
She will be coming out of camp which she entered three weeks ago this afternoon.
And everything will be different when she finally makes her way to her family home in Dzivaresekwa Extension.
She has been holding this belt since February 26 after shrugging it from Catherine Phiri of Zambia. But nothing had really changed besides her holding that prestigious title.
The purse money she got from that showdown was a little over US$1 000.
She was honoured with a cool US$15 000 by President Mnangagwa as a thank you token for her feat against Phiri some four months ago.
And she used a significant chunk to construct her family’s semi-completed house.
Her stable Delta Force Academy, which also promoted her bout against Munoz, has been in dire straits.
They were so close to lose that life-time opportunity to host this fight after failing to raise enough funds.
They were only saved by the Government who stepped in by providing the requisite resources.
And her victory over Munoz means the whole world.
A US$20 000 purse money.
A further US$20 000 in donations from the Deputy Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Tino Machakaire, as well as businessman Scott Sakupwanya.
And of course she will also pocket US$32 000 from the auctioning of Muhammed Ali’s bronze statue. The entire bronze sculpture was made in 1970 by the late American artist Jesse Richardson and was endorsed by Ali himself who is widely regarded as the greatest boxer in history.
It was donated to Chiwandire by the JR Turner Foundation for her to auction and pocket the proceeds.
And it was Sakupwanya who landed the statue when the auction was conducted just before Chiwandire’s duel with Munoz.
Another US$1 000 is also coming from funeral services company Zororo Phumulani which is powered by Doves Zimbabwe after the South African-based entity pledged to reward her should she be victorious.
That’s a total of US$73 000 in just one night!
And she also earned the right to challenge for the WBC super-bantamweight main belt currently held by another Mexican
Yamileth Mercado.
The latter was scheduled to defend her straps against Mariano Juarez on Saturday night but the fight has since been moved to November 29 in Chihuahua, Mexico.
That makes Chiwandire the first Zimbabwean to challenge for a WBC gold title.
Chiwandire still can’t believe she has earned that right and made a fortune.
“My life has been full of ups and downs. I haven’t been able to make the breakthrough despite trying my best,” said Chiwandire.
“But, look, here I am. I would like to salute all the Zimbabweans for their good luck and support wishes.
“I would also like to thank the Government who rescued my fight. I was about to lose the belt without throwing a punch.
“But, the Government is a caring lot and I can’t thank them enough.
“The people who have pledged to honour my achievements are always special. I can’t imagine it’s really me getting all that…”
Chiwandire said she is already looking forward to winning the main belt.
She said there is no stopping one’s dreams even if the odds are stacked against them like what has been the case with her.
Chiwandire who, in search of a better life, has been both a footballer and a karateka was forced to drop out of school after falling pregnant at the age of 17 back in 2013.
She unfortunately lost the child a year later.
For a moment, it seemed she would always lead a hand-to-mouth life just like what was the case when growing up in Mbare and Highfield.
Her father, Morris, said he had been fasting, praying for his daughter ahead of the fight.
“We always pray as a family. We believe prayers can break the chains. I was fasting while asking for divine intervention ahead of my daughter’s fight,” he said.
“I am on cloud nine. Kuda has always been a fighter, not just a boxer. She fights for what she loves. “She has been chasing a good life. I raised her as a vendor so she was also a vendor in a way.
“She then played football, karate…
“I am very grateful to the Government of Zimbabwe and all the authorities who made it possible for her to defend her title at home.
“With the way she works, I am very confident she will scale dizzy heights.”
Machakaire said Chiwandire’s tale can inspire more females to consider sport as a career.
“Sometimes it’s a matter of time but if one stays grounded and looks at the bigger picture, they will always get the rewards,” said Machakaire. “I would like to urge all the girls out there that sport can actually be a gateway to success. Look at what Chiwandire has done for the country. “I would like to congratulate her and also tell other girls out there to get inspiration from Chiwandire’s feat.”
WBC vice-president Houichi Houcine, who supervised the fight at the weekend, saluted Chiwandire’s heroics.
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