Manyuchi to defend title

Gilbert Munetsi Sports Correspondent
WORLD Boxing Council international welterweight champion Charles Manyuchi, who turned 26 yesterday, can give himself a birthday present on Saturday if he beats Devis Caceres of Colombia to retain the title he won in March. The Zimbabwean returns to the ring at the Government Complex in Lusaka, Zambia, on Saturday.

Zambia’s Catherine Phiri also defends her WBC bantamweight silver crown against Bukiwe Nonina of South Africa.
Monalisa Sibanda and Anyway Katunga are providing two of the supporting bouts in a line-up that also has Patrick Mukondiwa handling his maiden WBC assignment as judge.

Arifonso Zvenyika makes his debut, on the big stage, as coach.
But the spotlight will once again be on Manyuchi (W14-KO8; L2; D1) who has to win against his Latino opponent nicknamed “Le Felino”, or the Catface.
That Caceres has won 17 of his professional fights (KO12), lost four and is aged 24 means none of the two has the edge over the other.
However, the Zimbabwean has not had a fight since his March 15 victory against Patrick Allotey of Ghana.

Caceres, a WBC Latino welterweight champion, is still smarting from a 10th round split decision loss to an Argentine in a tournament held in August.
He has no ring rust, compared to Manyuchi.

It is what is at stake for Manyuchi that should spur him to do his best and bring home the belt, once again. He will rise on the WBC ratings, if he wins, where he is currently placed on number 23 and stands as the only African welterweight boxer in the world’s top 40.