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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S heavyweight champion Thamsanqa Dube will next month trade leather in an elimination fight against unheralded Trevor Mpofu in Harare. They will fight on March 28 at the Harare Showgrounds with the winner set to face World Boxing Federation African heavyweight champion Elvis “Bulawayo Bomber” in June.
Mpofu, 22, challenged the former Pan African World Boxing Association heavyweight champion who happens to be the country’s most feared boxer and Harare’s Clive Musonda has agreed to promote the bill.
“After seeing the zeal that the young Mpofu has by challenging Thamu (Dube) I saw an opportunity to stage a big fight and I’m glad that the two have agreed to trade leather next month. They have at least eight weeks to prepare for the fight which will be the main bout,” Musonda said.
Dube who is 10 years older than Mpofu last fought in 2011 when he was floored by Flo Simba in a non-title contest in South Africa. He has been unable to get a challenger, getting promises along the way only for his opponents to pullout in the last minute.
The “Baby Elephant” as Dube is affectionately known, said he is looking forward to fighting Mpofu.
“It’s good to see a young and ambitious boy challenging me and I’m happy that at last someone has shown guts to fight me. I’ve waited for a long time to get back into the ring and I promise I’ll crush the boy,” said Dube.
Mpofu who stands at 1.98m, weighing just above 90kgs is adamant that he will brew a shocker against Dube who is more than 140kg.
“Thamu has passed his sell by date and this is my time to shine. I’m not afraid of him and I’m going to beat him. Right now I have intensified my preparations so that I’m in good shape for the fight,” Mpofu said.
He sees his fight against Dube as a springboard for his boxing career.
The confident towering boxer believes that he will be like the biblical David who used a sling to bring down Goliath. Mpofu says Dube is not fit but fat.
As part of their preparations for the fight, Dube and Mpofu will use Tshaka Youth Centre as their training venue.
Dube, a protégé of renowned trainer Philip “Striker” Ndlovu has formed his stable in Hyde Park and has asked for permission to use his former coach’s gym.
“Like I said before, Thamu was my boxer and we share lots of memories but he has moved on and I now train Mpofu. I spoke to Thamu who asked to come and train here at Tshaka for his fight and I agreed because he remains my boxer. We will work out a plan so that if the other trains in the morning the other one will come in the evening,” said Ndlovu.
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