adminCharles Mabika Special Correspondent
HE had an uncanny habit of biting one end of his lips each time he spoke, with a lit cigarette dangling perilously at the other end. It was a mimic of his most favourite Hollywood character – Vito Corleone – so masterfully portrayed by the late acting legend, Marlon Brando, in the first edition of the ‘70s blockbuster quartet, “The Godfather”. You see, the late boxing referee, John “Toro” Gova, who passed away on Wednesday after a short illness at Harare Central Hospital, always loved to do everything in style.
He had watched all four renditions of the award-winning film spectacle so much that he could recount every fine detail of the movie’s scenes.
Gova, whose first love was football, where he played as a devastating forward at Mbare’s Stodart Youth Club, eventually found a new passion in boxing, together with his younger colleague, the late All-Africa heavyweight boxing champion, Proud “Kilimanjaro” Chinembiri, who had also played in the same youth team as a ‘keeper with Gova.
“Toro” also starred for the Chitsere Primary School’s soccer first team before continuing with his exploits at Harare High School and also play for various amateur clubs over the weekends before he had a lucky break when he was spotted by then top-flight team Arcadia United’s head coach, Tommy Thompson of the ‘70s, who immediately signed him on as a back-up to forwards like Cornelius Elijah, Nazareth Cardoza, Hedley Layton, Titus M’godhi “DJ” Williams.
The then heavily-built Gova, who had already been nicknamed “Majuta” by Kili’s elder brother, Punish (after Highlanders’ menacing left winger Majuta Mpofu) did manage to make a couple of first team appearances for Thompson’s side.
Disgruntled at not being a regular, Gova then decided to follow Kili into the boxing ring where both of them were tutored by Punish.
And it was after one sparring session with Kili at the Stodart Hall gym that he earned the nickname “Toro”.
Gova had tricked the Man Mountain after he had walked right into a sucker punch which momentarily dazzled him and Kili retorted:
“Iwe ndatozoona kuti uri ‘Toro’ because handina kuona chibhakera ichocho chichiuya” (“you are such a tall fighter that I didn’t even see that punch coming”).
“Toro” then realised he really didn’t want to mix it inside the ring and ventured into refereeing where he earned his stripes before becoming one of the finest referees produced in the country.
During his youth and outside the ring, “Toro” was also a flashy dresser, with matching turn-up cotton trousers, “diamond” socks, silk shirt and tweed jacket topped by a striking hat. . .a dressing norm that was referred to in Mbare as “maKawimbi style”.
Indeed, the three subjects that Gova just loved to talk about. . .correction. . .exuded his knowledge about: “The Godfather” movies, boxing and soccer.
His memory was incredible.
He could recall the exact round and second when Britain’s Henry Cooper became the first man to floor the great Muhammad Ali back in 1967; he could illustrate (with a cold beer in his grasp) how Peter Ndlovu waltzed his way past the South African defence before scoring an amazing goal in that explosive Zimbabwe 4-1 victory back in 1991 at the National Sports Stadium.
Even after he had retired from refereeing in the mid-2000s due to failing health, he was still unanimously elected as chairman of the Mbare National Social Soccer League, a task he undertook with customary leadership and guidance.
Oh, by the way, he had a knack of “punching” you in the chest when emphasising any particular piece of his narrative. . .so for those, like us, who knew him well, you had to make sure that you were a couple of feet away as soon as he started “preaching his gospel”.
Punish Chinembiri, who was devastated by Gova’s death, said: “The boxing fraternity has been robbed of a passionate disciple and I know that he will be ‘updating’ his colleague Kili about what happened in the boxing world for all the time that he was still around.”
ZIFA president, Philip “Captain Fiasco” Chiyangwa, who was Kili’s manager and promoter and also worked with Gova during the Man Mountain’s days in the ring, passed his condolence message to Gova’s family:
“Your loss is indeed ours as well because he was a dedicated boxing servant who helped shape the ascendancy of the sport from the doldrums. We share with you the grief surrounding you during this time.”
Gova might be gone but I will always see his gawky step, making his way towards me as I stand outside my car, parked outside Mbare’s Beatrice Blue Bar, with that dangling cigarette before he bellows: “Iwe munun’una, chimbondidaidza paTV ndiudze vanhu zve boxing mhani (my brother, why don’t you invite me to one of your TV shows so that I can tell viewers about boxing?) You guessed. . .I am already a couple of feet away to avoid the “chest punches”!
Till we meet again Big Brother “Toro”, rest in peace.
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