International boxing bout on the cards

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
AMBITIOUS Bigfish Boxing Promotions is set to mark their arrival on the local scene with an international bill set for May. Speaking at the launch of their stable in Bulawayo on Wednesday evening, the former Zimbabwe International light and middleweight boxing champion Mordicai “Big Fish” Donga said Zambian light heavyweight pugilist Anos Temfuma will trade leather with a local boxer in the main bout of their international bill.

Donga said they have set a budget of $35,000 to hold the tournament which will feature three supporting international bouts and two local fights.

“At the end of May we are going to hold our first international bout here in Zimbabwe but we will be announcing the exact date and place in due course. The Big Fish Boxing Promotions is made up of young and zealous men keen to promote boxing not only in Zimbabwe but even beyond its borders. The international bout might be in Bulawayo or Harare.

“The international bill that we are going to have in May is just the beginning of a big dream and our target is to create champions out of the boxers that are here in Zimbabwe,” said Donga.

The Bigfish camp which aims at supporting local boxers and ensuring that the stable brings international pugilists to the country is made up of Donga, banker Collen Mugodzva and Jermaine Chapfiwa.

The boxing stable which dreams big, announced that they will work hand in glove with boxers from renowned Makokoba Township trainer Phillip “Striker” Ndlovu who nurtured Donga, ex-Zimbabwe and Pan African World Boxing heavyweight champion Thamsanqa Dube and up-and-coming star Meluleki Ngulube.

Ndlovu has also coached World Boxing Federation All Africa Heavyweight champion Elvis Victor Moyo and Ntando Sibanda who are based in South Africa.

Mugodzva appealed for support from the corporate world so that they stage a successful event.
“We need $35,000 to stage a successful event and the response from the corporate world has been impressive but we are appealing to more companies to come on board. Partnering us will make sure that they market their product not only in Zimbabwe but to the rest of the world as we will be hosting an international bout.

“By partnering Bigfish Boxing Promotions companies will in a way be giving back to the community. We are taking people off the street and getting them into gyms to train as professional boxers and thereby creating employment. At the end of the day we will have a decrease in criminal activities as young people will be busy shaping their boxing careers and for this to be successful, we need support from the corporate world,” Mugodzva said.