dyton mupawaenda
Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter
STAR female boxer Kudakwashe “Take Money” Chiwandire will have to wait a little bit longer before having another shot at the World Boxing Council (WBC) title after suffering a logistical setback in her latest bid to have one.
The 27-year-old was scheduled for a WBC international bantamweight showdown against Indian holder Urvashi Singh in Victoria, Australia this Friday.
But the proposed bout has been put on ice after Chiwandire and her camp failed to secure Australian visas.
Chiwandire and her team, manager/promoter Clyde Musonda and coach Tarisai Ponde were initially scheduled to travel on November 30 so that they would acclimatise but that hit a snag after they were refused the visas. They shelved the trip to December 8 but again they couldn’t get the visas. Promoter of the fight MJA Entertainment in conjunction with DJMC Events haven’t yet issued Chiwandire’s stable with the refusal letter but the fight is effectively off.
In an interview yesterday, Musonda expressed disappointment over the manner everything has panned out.
“As we speak, the fight is off and it is very disappointing to say the least,” said Musonda.
“Our visas were being processed in Australia by the promoter’s agent so were only going for biometrics this side at the end of November but they advised us that the visas had been refused.
“So they said we should redo the applications. They refused again and I am still waiting for the refusal letter.
“I am really shocked and disappointed”.
Musonda said he has talked to Chiwandire who has understood the situation.
“It’s so sad because I had invested so much in the boxer. We have never experienced that in our boxing journey. This is the first time we have been refused a sport visa.
“But there is nothing we can do. We have reassured the boxer that the opportunity will come some other time. She knows those things happen and she is mature enough.
“We will break for the Christmas holidays and we will be back to training and we will see what comes up in our way. We were ready and we will always be ready”.
Chiwandire is considered the best pound for pound female boxer in the world and is ranked the eighth best bantamweight boxer on the planet. The Zimbabwean pugilist was last in the ring when she challenged for the WBC gold title against Mexican Yamileth Mercado in Chihuahua.
She unfortunately lost on points.
Online Reporter