Sundaymail Editor
Langton Nyakwenda
TWICE, this prestigious event has been postponed.
And, slowly the hopes of Zimbabwe hosting a historic boxing show have been fading.
It is almost degenerating into a so-near-yet-so- far kind of scenario for the country’s most sought after female pugilist Kudakwashe “Take Money” Chiwandire.
Initially, she was supposed to defend her World Boxing Council Interim Super bantamweight title against Zulina Munoz of Mexico at the Harare International Conference Centre on August 20.
The fight didn’t materialise and, instead, the promoters of the boxing show and Chiwandire’s handlers, Delta Force boxing academy, announced that the event had been pushed to August 27.
August 27 arrived, and still there was no show.
Chiwandire is still waiting to defend her title on home soil, in a fight that could put Zimbabwe on the world boxing map and also promote sports tourism.
A win for Chiwandire also sets her up for a possible assault at the WBC Super bantamweight gold belt, which is currently in the hands of Mexican Almendra Yamileth Mercado Duarte, better known as Yamileth Mercado.
The main reason for this continued delay is lack of finances, amid indications that approximately US$150 000 is required to host this WBC fight.
Delta Force director Clyde Musonda has been engaging with the boxing board and some Government officials in a bid to raise the funds.
The Sunday Mail Sport has been told that a fundraising dinner, which will be supported by the Government, is on the cards, and Chiwandire could eventually defend her WBC Interim title on October 1.
“There’s hope that we will get Government support.
“A fund-raising dinner is on the cards, and we are now working on it with Government support,” revealed Musonda.
The 27-year-old Chiwandire, a single mother of two, has been preparing since June.
She was in South Africa for 10 days last month, taking on local boxers in sparring sessions.
“As for the boxer, she is way ahead in terms of weight management. She weighed 57.85kg on September 1, and as a requirement we sent the weight results to the WBC a month before the proposed fight date,” Musonda said.
The Super bantamweight is a weight class which is contested from 54kgs to 55kgs.
“We returned from South Africa on August 22. The boxer had successful sparring sessions for almost 10 days.
“We continue to be grateful to our main sponsors KGK Logistics who financed that 10-day camp in South Africa,” added Musonda.
Chiwandire is set to go into camp tomorrow as she intensifies preparations for this landmark fight against the more experienced Munoz.
The 35-year-old Munoz has a proud record of 53-4-2 but age seems to be taking its toll on the Mexican who has lost thrice in her last 10 fights.
While Munoz will be fighting in her 60th professional match, Chiwandire has a modest 5-2-1 record.
It’s a huge difference in class, but Chiwandire has proven that she is no pushover.
On February 27, she grabbed international boxing headlines after stunning former WBC Super bantamweight champion Catherine Phiri of Zambia in Lusaka to claim the Interim title.
Phiri went into that fight as the favourite, as she carried a 16-3-0 record, but she was stretched to the limit by Chiwandire, who eventually won the match on points.
Online Reporter