Mabvongwe relieved

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
BOXER Freeman Mabvongwe says the lifting of his suspension by the Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board came as relief as he can now focus on the future.

Mabvongwe was suspended together with Brendon Denes for failing to follow the boxing control board’s regulations when they competed at an amateur tournament in Victoria Falls and Olympic qualifiers in Senegal.

Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board general-secretary Lawrence Zimbudzana confirmed the suspension of the two boxers had been lifted.

Mabvongwe was a relieved man following the lifting of the suspension.

“I am happy (because) a year out of competition is too much when others are fighting, you will be left behind, and even those that would have come after you, would be ahead. It’s a big relief.

“The issue is there was a misunderstanding and I did not stop training.

“There is an upcoming fight in Botswana, we are still working on it. As soon as boxing is allowed back then we will know when exactly but it could be anytime soon,” said Mabvongwe.

Zimbudzana said their concern was the failure by the boxers to seek clearance from the boxing control board.“For us as the boxing board, as Zimbabwe, we just ask for boxers to seek clearance of the board before they partake in any competition, something they did not do. But we did not bar boxers to participate at amateur level if they are professionals.

“They have actually applied for the Covid-19 relief fund, which we were giving to professional boxers. So after we had lifted that suspension they became eligible but they went with a warning.

“They came during this Covid-19 lockdown, they did not come immediately after their participation, they delayed for some reasons which I don’t know. But they came to the office and we set down and we discussed to say no our aim of the board is to just control, that’s why it is called a control board. We want to control and try to minimise and eradicate malpractices that may be happening in boxing.

“So we said our aim is not to destroy their careers but to guide them appropriately because one thing that is very critical important for boxers is that they should have discipline.

“If you are a boxer and you don’t have discipline it’s very difficult for you to grow as a boxer, your career is usually cut short.

“So the suspension really was to make sure that they come to the board and we have a discussion with them and we try to assist them… We needed to guide them in terms of protocols that they needed to have followed before they went to participate in Senegal,” said Zimbudzana.

Zimbudzana pointed out that while they do not encourage professional boxers to compete in the amateur ranks, the prerogative lies more with the different sanctioning bodies.

“Initially, in previous years when a boxer turned professional, they were not supposed to go back and participate in amateur activities but now AIBA, the board that governs amateur boxing, relaxed that.

“But now the problem comes with the sanctioning bodies. Sanctioning bodies like World Boxing Federation, WBC, WBO some of the sanctioning bodies do not allow boxers to go back to amateur boxing because they want to protect their brand,” said Zimbudzana.

Denes said he just want to focus on his career and not dwell much on the issue.

“I don’t want to say much on this issue. I want to move forward with my career. Those who have supported me should keep supporting me. I just want to focus on my career. For now I am just waiting for the games to resume,” said Denes.