Josamu Memorial tourney gets green light

11 February bill.
The Gilbert “Giro” Josamu Memorial Tournament will be staged at Harare Exhibition Centre’s Glamis Arena and will have a national lightweight title fight as its main bout.
Misheck Kondwani of Mbare and Bulawayo’s Dumezeli Mtulike will be fighting for the vacant national lightweight title over 12 rounds in the main bout of the 11 February bill that now has seven fights.
The tournament is being promoted by Black Fist Promotions in remembrance of the former national middleweight champion Gilbert “Giro” Josamu who died on 23 June 2001.
Josamu’s young brother, Abel, is one of the tournament’s organisers, operating under Black Fist Promotions.
Abel said that the Zimbabwe Boxing Board of Control had given them the thumbs up to stage this event.
“We recently met with the secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Boxing Board of Control, Patrick Mukondiwa, who gave us the go-ahead to stage this tournament.
“So, I can safely say that everything is now in place for the staging of the Gilbert “Giro” Josamu Memorial Tournament at the Glamis Arena on February 11.
“We would also like to thank (local professional boxing promoter) Stalin Mau Mau for coming up with the purse money for the two boxers who will be fighting for the vacant national lightweight title, and local food processing company Cairns Foods who will be one of our main sponsors.
“We are also trying to court former boxing promoter Phillip Chiyangwa and we want him to help us in staging this tournament as he was one of the first people who used to work with Gilbert Josamu during his professional career,” Abel said.
Abel, who is also a matchmaker, said they have added another fight to their bill – a four-round light heavyweight fight featuring Francis Sigauke from Harare and Bulawayo’s Noel Mpofu.
The other fights that are on this bill include an eight-round super featherweight non-title fight between Tawanda Kachigwada and Trymore Musira, and a super bantamweight six-round contest featuring Bensterin Mateu and Batanai Ruwizhu.
There will also be three other non-title fights which will see Tinashe Madziwana taking on Lovewell Maphosa (bantamweight), Silas Mandeya trading leather with Martin Tshuma (junior welterweight) and Ronnie Tamani facing Lynos Murabwa (featherweight).
All these bouts will be over six rounds.