Langton Nyakwenda
Zimpapers Sports Hub
A BOXING journey that began in the modest surroundings of Mbare has finally yielded sweet rewards for Revai Madondo.
The boxer has endured years of financial hardship and uncertainty in a sport she says has not always treated Zimbabwean female pugilists fairly.
The 31-year-old boxer, who at times accepted fights for purses as low as US$50, could hardly believe her fortune when businessman and politician Kudakwashe Tagwirei rewarded her with US$5,000.
The reward was for winning the prestigious Trabablas belt. Madondo struck gold after knocking out Chimwemwe Banda in the second round at the Trabablas 3 Boxing Tournament at a packed Kwekwe Sports Arena last Friday. She became the latest winner of the Trababals belt is also now the new Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) champion.
It was a moment of triumph for a boxer whose journey has been defined by sacrifice, perseverance and the struggle to make ends meet. Tagwirei also rewarded rising pugilist, Marlon Chivero, and Zambian female boxer Alice Mbewe with US$5,000 each after they won World Boxing Federation belts at the same tournament. All three boxers belong to the Charles Manyuchi Boxing Academy, which received a US$200,000 donation from the Harare businessman.
For Madondo, however, the financial rewards carried a deeper meaning, reflecting how far female boxing has come from the days when pugilists struggled to earn enough to sustain themselves.
“The journey has not been easy. We are coming from a period where it was tough being a boxer in Zimbabwe,” Madondo told Zimpapers Sports Hub.
“Imagine, sometimes we would fight for US$50, sometimes US$80, a figure that is not enough to pay rent for one room in suburbs like Highfield where I live. You also need transport to and from the gym and food. Yes, boxing is a dangerous sport but for some of us it has been our own way of eking a living.”
Born in Shurugwi, Madondo relocated to Highfield, in 2017, carrying with her a passion for boxing that would eventually become her livelihood.
On December 16, 2017, she made her professional debut against Chiedza Homakoma at Mbare Netball Complex, settling for a draw.
Like many female boxers in the country, Madondo at one point contemplated walking away from the sport, particularly during the Covid-19 era when the absence of meaningful sponsorship left fighters struggling to survive. Now, having tasted success and received a life-changing financial reward, she believes the sacrifices are finally beginning to pay off.
“If one looks at our plight as boxers then you get to understand how we are feeling with this gesture by Senator Tagwirei. I want to thank him wholeheartedly. I can’t believe this is happening, it’s like I am dreaming. If we can have more people like Tagwirei then Zimbabwean boxing can transform,” she said.
Her fortunes have also improved since joining the Charles Manyuchi Boxing Academy. “What I realised is that in sport you have to keep on pushing. Patience pays,” she emphasised. “I didn’t think I would reach this stage, a stage where I would be taken pictures holding a cheque of US$5 000.”
