Andrew
Sports Reporter
SUCCESSES recorded by boxers Charles Manyuchi, Monalisa Sibanda and Kudakwashe “Take Money” Chiwandire in recent years have left many believing Zimbabwe could ride on the sport to attract global attention.
The last 10 years have been quite remarkable for local boxing.
Manyuchi shot to prominence in 2013, when he won the African Boxing Union (ABU) welterweight title, before rising to become the World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver champion in 2016.
He lost the WBC Silver belt to Qudratillo Abquqaxorov of Uzbekistan in 2017, but the Zimbabwean scored success via the World Boxing Federation route (WBF).
Manyuchi is now the WBF middleweight champion, a title he won in 2019 after defeating Diego Gallardo of Argentina, before defending it against Ugandan Muhamad Sebyala last year.
The ageless Sibanda is similarly the reigning Women International Boxing Association (WIBA) intercontinental lightweight champion.
The 39-year-old, who is popularly known as “Queen of the Jungle”, defended her WIBA title in Victoria Falls in July.
Chiwandire captured global attention on October 15, when she out-boxed highly rated Mexican Zulina Munoz to retain her WBC Interim Super Bantamweight title.
Boxers such as Brendon “Boika” Denes and Peter “Sniper” Pambeni have also raised the nation’s flag high on the international scene.
Denes claimed the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Africa welterweight title in December 2020.
He was, however, stripped of the title after failing to defend it.
Lightweight boxer Pambeni also won a WBO Africa belt in August 2019, when he beat Namibian Albinius Felesinau in his own backyard.
Indeed, it has been a fruitful decade for local boxing.
However, there is need to water the tree that provides the fruits.
Boxing starts at amateur level, where boxers are identified, groomed and promoted to professional level.
The Zimbabwe Boxing Federation (ZBF) is in charge of amateur boxing and Olympiad Alexander Kwangwari is the national amateur boxing coach.
While he is impressed by Chiwandire’s latest feat, he wants the authorities to “remember where it all starts”.
Kwangwari is also convinced Zimbabwe has abundant talent at grassroots level.
However, lack of sponsorship could hamper ZBF’s efforts to identify and nurture talent.
“There is a lot of raw talent at amateur level. Remember, this is the conveyor belt that has always produced boxers who have gone on to perform well at higher levels of professional boxing,” says Kwangwari.
“We need sponsorship so that we can host many tournaments. With more matches, these amateur boxers will mature a lot quicker.
“There is a lot of exciting competition at amateur level; we have a number of good boxers, some of whom we have recommended that they turn professional.
“Talent is there, the organisers are there but sponsorship is lacking.”
The ZBF held a provincial tournament in Mvurwi last weekend.
It was a precursor to the National Championships set for Bulawayo on November 24.
“We are doing all this with an eye on the 2024 Olympic Games.”
Zimbabwean boxers are also expected to participate at the African Games in Ghana next year.
But Kwangwari wants more local tournaments across the country.
He thinks these can be used to harness talent, which can be exposed at bigger events like the National Youth Games, which were a springboard for boxers such as Manyuchi and Chiwandire.
“If you look at Chiwandire, we started with her at grassroots. She burst onto the scene at the National Youth Games held in Masvingo in 2014.
“I trained Kuda at youth level; she could have enrolled with the Zimbabwe National Army because of her talent.
“We then developed her. Even Manyuchi passed through this system,’’ Kwangwari said.
There are a number of boxers he is tipping to shine “in the near future”, and one of them is 22-year-old Monica Mkandla, a Bulawayo-born boxer who has won her first three professional fights.
She turned professional with a victory at the Charles Manyuchi Academy tournament in Chivhu in August.
She then went on to win her next two fights in South Africa to register a 3-0-0 record.
“We trained her (Mkandla). She is very good. Soon, you will also be talking about her,” added Kwangwari.
Light welterweight boxer Job Mupazviripo of Churchill High School and Agnes Kwashi (flyweight) of the Zimbabwe National Army are some of the pugilists who have excited the experienced coach.
Heavyweight boxer Anesu Motsi is considered another prospect.
“But we should not rush these boxers. There is a tendency by some bogus promoters to push boxers to turn professional prematurely just because of money.
“That’s ill-advised. Boxers should go through the mill. That way they won’t disappoint when they turn professional.”
There has been growing interest in boxing in schools as well, especially after the recent successes of Manyuchi and Chiwandire.
“There is some serious boxing now at Prince Edward, Churchill, Zengeza and St Mary’s.
“Boxing is spreading its wings,” he said.
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