adminTadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter
RISING welterweight boxer, Brendan “Boika” Denes, has withdrawn from the high-profile World Boxing Council Africa title match against Tanzania’s Hassan Mwakinyo.
He is suffering from a shoulder injury.
The duel between Denes and Mwakinyo was supposed to headline the second edition of the Battle of Dar es Salaam Series, in the Tanzanian capital, tonight.
But, Denes, was forced to pull out of the fight, after suffering a shoulder injury, late last week.
Although there had been indications the Charles Manyuchi Boxing Academy boxer would recover, in time to fly to Tanzania, it has since been revealed he needs a week more, to fully recuperate.
Denes’ trainer, Ali “Otto” Phiri, said the 26-year-old injured his shoulder during training, last week, as they were fine-tuning for the fight, against Mwakinyo.
“Unfortunately, we can confirm that we have withdrawn from the WBC Africa title fight against Tanzania’s Hassan Mwakinyo,” Phiri said.
“Our boxer, Denes, who we were very confident he would win the fight, has failed to recover in time for us to travel to Tanzania. “He suffered a shoulder sprain last week and it looked minor but, unfortunately, he needs some few more days, before he can fully recover.
“We had no other option but to pull out of the fight. We are all pained but there is nothing we could have done.”
The fight was originally scheduled to take place on March 26 but it was cancelled, after Tanzania plunged into national mourning, following the death of President John Magufuli.
Denes wasn’t taking any chances and, on April 10, he flew to the United Arab Emirates where he fought Ahmed Samir Dawran, in a non-title bout, which he won via a unanimous decision.
While Denes won’t be part of the cast in Dar es Salaam tonight, the series will have a Zimbabwean flavour as Simon Madhanire is billed to battle against South Africa’s Ardi Ndembo, in a heavyweight contest.
Monalisa Madhanire takes on Bulgaria’s Joana Nwamerue, in a four-round super lightweight bout, with Noel Mpofu engaging another Bulgarian, Pencho Tsevtkov, in another heavyweight showdown.
Online Reporter