admin
Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
WORLD Boxing Federation middleweight champion Charles Manyuchi will defend his title which will be unified with the WABA crown against Ugandan Muhamad Sebyala at Harare International Conference Centre (HICC) in February next year.
That will be almost a year after the original date on which the two were supposed to face-off.
The Zimbabwean was supposed to host Sebyala on April 4 this year, but the bout had to be shelved due to Covid-19.
The fight couldn’t take place either in August as the pandemic was still ravaging the world.
Manyuchi, who claimed the WBF title after beating Argentine Pablo Ezequiel Acosta via a TKO in September last year, was allowed to hold on to the crown by the sanctioning board until it was practically possible to defend it.
And with sport making a return across the world, Manyuchi has intensified preparations ahead of the eagerly-awaited fight in February.
The Chivhu-based pugilist had slowed down practice sessions, especially with the pandemic denying him opportunities to have sparring partners.
He then had to battle weight gain, which he has since started working on.
“We have been notified that the WBF title can now be defended in February against the original opponent (Sebyala). I have always been working, but not as intense as I normally do during the Covid-19-induced lockdown,” said Manyuchi.
“I am now working on my weight but it’s not a big deal. I have to prepare well against Sebyala who I think has been dishing out verbal jabs on me in the past few months.
“I do the talking in the ring normally but, I think, Sebyala cannot really scare me, I have always been ready to face whoever I am required to face. My opponent in this case cannot really scare me. I am working hard for him and come February, we will make sure the belt remains in Zimbabwe.”
Manyuchi admitted that he is rusty given that he has gone for over a year without getting into the ring.
“The main problem I have at the moment is that I have taken long without having a fight, but I guess every sportsperson in the globe was affected by the pandemic so it cannot be an excuse. I have matured in this game and I know what to do to get the best out of myself.”
His coach, Ali “Otto” Phiri, said the pugilist has undergone a lot of mental training and he will continue getting counselling sessions until he faces Sebyala.
leeroy