malvernmugadzikwa
Langton Nyakwenda
FROM Langton “Schoolboy” Tinago, Proud “Kilimanjaro” Chinembiri, Arifonso “Mosquito” Zvenyika to the famous Charles Manyuchi, Zimbabwe has had its fair share of boxing heroes.
The country celebrates its 44th Heroes Day tomorrow, and the sweet science sport has produced stars who have illuminated the nation over the years.
The late Tinago was a two-time Commonwealth Boxing Council lightweight champion, who at some point also held the Super Featherweight title.
He made history on December 7, 1980 when he defeated Hogan Jimoh of Nigeria in Lagos to claim the Commonwealth Lightweight title.
Tinago also won the Commonwealth Super Featherweight belt in 1983.
The Shurugwi-born but Gweru-raised boxer died at the age of 68 in 2018.
He fought a massive 109 fights and won 86 of them.
Just about the same time Tinago was dominating, a heavily built boxer from Mbare called Chinembiri was also ruling the roost in Africa.
The late Chinembiri was an African heavyweight champion, who held the African Boxing Union (ABU) belt for five years and came close to fighting the great Mike Tyson.
A fight against Lennox Lewis also fell through due to the Zimbabwean’s medical condition.
In an interview with Zimpapers Sports Hub in 2020, businessman Philip Chiyangwa, who managed “Kilimanjaro” during his peak, spoke glowingly about the Mbare-bred pugilist.
“The ABU title made Kilimanjaro a world attraction to an extent that Lennox Lewis came after him because he was so desperate for a fight that would get him back into the top 10 and a chance to go for the world title,” revealed Chiyangwa.
“The fight was sealed; we went to the United Kingdom. We all know why the fight didn’t take place and how it ended up being awarded to Lewis.
“If ‘Kili’ had fought and won against Lewis, we would have made noise in the UK for him to be afforded a crack at the world title against Mike Tyson.”
Chinembiri passed away in 1994.
Four years later, another talented boxer from Mbare emerged.
Zvenyika, who would earn the moniker “Mosquito” because of his small frame, won the Commonwealth Flyweight title, via a technical knockout (TKO) against Paul Weir in Glasgow in January 1998.
He defended the belt in June before losing the prestigious title in December of that year.
Enter Manyuchi.
He is a boxer who fought against many adversities in life, before rising to become the World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver Welterweight champion in May 2016, a title he would go on to lose the following year.
The 35-year-old Manyuchi, who still holds the World Boxing Federation Middleweight title, has announced plans to retire from the sport.
This has left many boxing enthusiasts worried about the future of boxing in the country.
However, Manyuchi is optimistic.
He is convinced Tatenda Biningu, his protégé, has the power and skill to exceed what he achieved in the sport.
The 23-year-old Biningu is the current World Boxing Federation (WBF) African Super Featherweight champion.
He accounted for Sadiki Mkomba of Tanzania, in just two rounds, in a fight watched by thousands of people in Harare on July 13.
“Yes, people think I am the best and I achieved a lot, but they should wait until Biningu blossoms,” Manyuchi told Zimpapers Sports Hub last week.
“The boy is dangerous. You just need to look at his movement and skill. Sooner rather than later, Zimbabweans will be singing his name.”
Biningu made some rich pickings after his triumph in July as he got thousands of dollars, including a US$5 000 cash reward from Leengate Contractors.
Then there is Tinashe “Jones” Majoni, whose skill charmed renowned gold buyer Pedzai “Scott” Sakupwanya, who was also part of the VIP guests on the same night that Biningu won his title.
Majoni (25) defeated Pemphero Nkhoma of Malawi via a third round TKO to take his record to 10 wins out of 11 fights.
“I’m feeling good about my career and I see myself at the top, with all those belts,” Majoni told Zimpapers Sports Hub.
“It’s just a matter of time; we’re going up bit by bit.”
Majoni fights under Otto Boxing Club, which is also home to ABU lightweight champion Aliyah Phiri.
“The future of boxing is in good hands,” says Majoni.
“I appreciate all the sponsors and individuals who helped me to get here and what I am praying for now is just to get more sponsors.
“If that happens, I will make my division very uncomfortable for everyone in the world.”
Local promoter, Clyde Musonda, is convinced Zimbabwe will soon produce a world champion.
“If only we can invest in the sport,” he says.
“We have the likes of Farai Makombe, Kuda Chiwandire, Monica Mkandla, Beavan Sibanda, Biningu and Majoni, all of them great fighters.
“They just need the nation’s support, both morally and financially.”
Chiwandire, a 28-year-old female pugilist who was raised in Highfield, became the first Zimbabwean to fight for a WBC world title, when she narrowly lost to Mexican world champion Yamileth Mercado in Chihuahua last year.
She has never been in the ring since then.
Mkandla is another female pugilist on the rise.
Born in Gwanda, she is now based in South Africa, where her stock has been going up.
She is the SADC ABU bantamweight champion.
Online Reporter