adminHarare Bureau
ZIMBABWE’S Charles Manyuchi will have to wait a little longer before he can take a crack at a world title after his World Boxing Council welterweight bout was pushed to March. Manyuchi, who is the African Boxing Union welterweight champion, was scheduled to fight Ghana’s Patrick Allotey for the title on January 25. But the bout has been deferred to March 15. Zimbabwe Boxing Control board secretary, Gilbert Munetsi, said he was advised by the promoters that the fight will still be held in Lusaka, Zambia.
“The African Boxing Union is a subsidiary of the WBC and they had given the Zambians the licence to host the international fights where Charles Manyuchi is going to challenge for the vacant welterweight belt.
“One of the boxers, Nadya Hokmi of France, has pulled out of her penciled fight against Zambia’s Chathrine Phiri for the silver bantamweight belt.
“This was one of the main bouts on the bill and now the organisers are trying to get a replacement to fight Phiri. So all the other fights, including Manyuchi’s, have been deferred,” said Munetsi.
Manyuchi, who trains under Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions, is in Zambia where he was preparing for the bout.
Three other Zimbabwean boxers – Monalisa Sibanda, Chamunorwa Gonorenda and Takudzwa Kuchocha – have been roped in for the supporting matches. Munetsi said the boxers, however, need to register with the board so that they are cleared.
“We need them to register with the board for the 2014 year and then provide their medicals,” he said.
Meanwhile, Edward Mandy, the chief executive of Lionheart Boxing Promotions, is expected in Zimbabwe before the end this month as he seeks to invest in local professional boxing.
Mandy hopes to include Zimbabwean boxing on the weekly television programme dubbed “Thursday Night Fights” which is beamed to millions of viewers across the world.
Online Reporter