Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THERE was no big party, neither did he go out with friends and family but yesterday was still a special day for Charles Manyuchi.
The former World Boxing Council Silver welterweight champion turned 36, but he maintained a low profile in the capital yesterday.
Manyuchi, however, has one big wish.
He wants the Charles Manyuchi Boxing Academy project to be expedited.
The boxer was allocated five hectares of land in Chivhu where he intends to build a boxing academy that will house hundreds of budding boxers from across Zimbabwe and beyond.
The Charles Manyuchi Boxing Academy is already home to 16 pugilists from Zimbabwe and Zambia, including the highly-rated Simon Ngoma, a three-star Lusaka based boxer.
Chivhu-based Clever Sithole, who won the Trabablas Super Middleweight title early this month, and former World Boxing Federation welterweight champion Evans Husayihwevhu, also belong to the academy.
“I owe my life and everything that I have achieved to God, without Him I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Manyuchi told Zimpapers Sports Hub.
The 36-year-old boxer acknowledges he is in the twilight zone of his career.
He says he has a few fights left before he hangs his gloves.
“Boxing should not die when I retire, it has to continue.
“Boxing is bigger than Manyuchi. I have to leave a legacy in this sport, which gave me both fame and fortune.
“So, establishing a boxing academy in Chivhu is something that I wish to do. It’s my desire to support upcoming boxers and give them a good platform to showcase their talents.”
He has fought 36 professional fights since making his debut in Harare on February 14, 2009.
Manyuchi has 30 wins, 19 of them by KO, five losses and one draw.
“I am proud of my record,” he said.
“I have travelled across the world thanks to this sport. The fact that I also held the WBC belt makes me prouder.”
He won his first international belt on June 28, 2013 when he stunned Patrice Sou Toke of Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou, to claim the African Boxing Union welterweight title.
He moved up in March 2014, when he won the WBC International welterweight belt at the expense of Patrick Allotey in Lusaka, Zambia.
Manyuchi then made history when he won the highly coveted WBC Silver belt, after shocking Dimtry Mikhaylenko of Russia in Yekaterinburg on May 6, 2016.
Unfortunately, he lost the title a year later, via a first round knockout against Qudratillo Abduqaxorov of Uzbekistan in Singapore.
After vacating the WBC titles, Manyuchi went on to claim the World Boxing Federation and Global Boxing Union titles.
He now fights in the heavyweight category and won his last bout against Limbano Lano of Malawi at the 7 Arts Theatre in Avondale, Harare in March.
“My mind is now more focused on developing the youths.”
“It’s great that I got land to build an academy from the Chivhu council, but I don’t have enough resources to build this academy,” he lamented.
However, there is a glimmer of hope for the famous boxer, as he has been promised support by ZANU PF Central Committee member Kuda Tagwirei.
Speaking at the Trabablas Gloves On tournament in Chivhu on November 1, ZANU PF Youth League Political Commissar, Taurai Kandishaya revealed that Tagwirei had pledged to assist Manyuchi in building the academy.
Tagwirei also awarded vehicles to two boxers —Sithole and Lawrence Chiyangwa — at the same event.
