adminThe 36-year-old Mbare-based boxer said yesterday that he was now campaigning in the lightweight division and has agreed to take on Dumezeli Mtulike for the vacant national title on February 11 in Harare.
The Kondwani-Mtulike 12-round lightweight title fight will be the main bout on the proposed six-fight Black Fist Promotions’ Gilbert “Giro” Josamu Memorial Tournament bill that has now been moved from the Harare International Conference Centre to the nearby Glamis Arena at the Harare Exhibition Centre.
And Kondwani, who trains under Jestara Muzivande, has already stepped up his preparations for this title fight by arranging a warm-up non-title contest against a Zambian opponent in Lusaka on January 21.
He is scheduled to leave Harare for Lusaka next Tuesday.
“I’m scheduled to leave for Lusaka on Tuesday next week for this eight-round non-title fight against a Zambian boxer named Banda.
“This fight is on the same bill with (top Zimbabwean female boxer) Monalisa Sibanda’s fight. Sibanda will be fighting for a world title on January 21.
“We are the only two Zimbabweans who are on this bill and I’ve been invited to fight in Lusaka by (Zambian promoter) Anthony Mwamba who has been communicating with my manager Stalin Mau Mau,” Kondwani said.
The Lusaka fight will be Kondwani’s first of the year before he turns his focus to the national lightweight title contest against Mtulike on February 11 in Harare.
Five other fights have been lined-up for that day and they will include an eight-round super-featherweight non-title fight between Tawanda Kachigwada and Trymore Musira.
The same day will see Bensterin Mateu trading leather with Batanai Ruwizhu in a six-round super-bantamweight contest.
Three other non-title fights have been pencilled in for the February 11 Gilbert “Giro” Josamu Memorial Tournament bill and they will see Tinashe Mwadzwana taking on Lovewell Maphosa (bantamweight), Silas Mandeya coming up against Martin Tshuma (junior welterweight) and Ronnie Tamani facing Lynos Murabwa (featherweight).
All these three bouts will be over six rounds.
Matchmaker Abel Josamu of Black Fist Promotions said they were likely to bring in two or three more fights for this February 11 bill at the Glamis Arena.
“A number of local light-heavyweights boxers have approached us expressing their interests in being included on this bill and this might see us having two or three more fights on the bill,” Abel Josamu said.
He said preparations for this tournament are already underway and it (the February 11 bill) has attracted a number of sponsors, including local food processing company, Cairns Foods.
“We recently approached Cairns Foods, asking them to be part of our sponsors for this bill and they agreed to help us in staging it.
“The other interesting or exciting thing is that top local boxing promoter Stalin Mau Mau has pledged to pay the purses of the two boxers that will fight for the vacant lightweight title – Kondwani and Mtulike.
“This shows that Stalin Mau Mau still has local boxing at the centre of his heart and we really appreciate this noble gesture from him . . . He’s just a great man and an asset to local boxing. We are also going to have a fashion show and a Miss Zimbabwe Boxing 2012 beauty contest, just to spice-up the show on February 11,” Abel Josamu said.
Online Reporter