Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, Deputy Sports Editor
EXTREME Fighting Championships (mixed martial arts) heavyweight prodigy Elvis “Bomber” Moyo has been challenged to help grow the sport in Zimbabwe.
Moyo, a former boxer and African champion in the heavyweight division, stunned the world when he beat Anthony Morel in Gauteng on 10 April.
He had been out of action in the sport for seven years and was failing to get opponents.
That challenge was even in boxing where opponents have been hard to come by.
Simon Gama, a fitness Guru based in Bulawayo has challenged Moyo to come back home and help popularise the sport.
Combining martial arts manouvres and boxing ideals, mixed martial arts is growing in popularity by day.
Started in South Asia, mixed martial arts has spread all over the world with great worldwide audiences tipping over 600 million.
Gama says Zimbabwe has shown the world that it has talented sportspersons as another fighter in the discipline Themba Gorimbo has made a name for himself in the US where his skills attracted the attention of famed wrestler and actor The Rock.
Touched by Gorimbo’s story, The Rock presented Gorimbo a house to live in.
Gorimbo was Zimbabwe’s Sportsperson of the Year in 2019.
“I am happy Elvis returned to boxing and mixed martial arts, he can come back home and inspire others,” said Gama.
He said the sport has not yet grown to recognizable levels with activity at a bare minimum with the Sport and Recreation acknowledging of its existence though under the Zimbabwe Board of Boxing Control.
Gama said it is no fluke that Gorimbo and Moyo are putting Zimbabwe on the international map. He said both were hard workers committed to their craft.
He said there is no better time for the sport to flourish than now.
“We now have two fighters who are good and have proven themselves on the international scene. We need to catch on that frenzy and create future champions,” said the renowned fitness trainer and former body builder.
