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Gilbert Munetsi-Boxing Correspondent
LOCAL boxing champion Charles Manyuchi’s reign as the World Alliance Boxing Association (WABA)’s supreme middleweight champion could soon come to an end should he fail to defend the title within the next one month, The Herald can exclusively reveal.
Manyuchi — who also holds the World Boxing Federation, Global Boxing Union, Universal Boxing Council and World Professional Boxing Federation championships — was recently ordered to defend the WABA belt by July 3, failure of which he risks having it stripped from him.
The former ABU, WBC international and silver ring ruler was advised of the position by WABA president, Kentucky Colonel Onesmo Macbride Ngowi, in a correspondence from the sanction body’s head-quartered in Moshi, Tanzania.
Ngowi founded the association after his resignation from the International Boxing Federation where he served as vice-president for two decades.
He is also a former board member of the Commonwealth Boxing Council which he altogether left to establish a new baby, WABA, whose objective he describes as to further the interests of professional pugilists from the African continent.
Manyuchi became the inaugural WABA supreme world champion after defeating Muhammad Sebyala of Uganda in Masvingo on July 3 last year.
This was at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the boxing prodigy then needed a special waiver from the Sports Ministry to take part in the match that had no supporting bouts. A year on, he is yet to return to the ring.
In a letter to Manyuchi dated June 2 and was copied to the Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board, Ngowi advised Manyuchi of the need to defend his championship within the stipulated year-long duration.
He said the issue had come under the spotlight at a recent WABA meeting and while Manyuchi’s handlers had earlier put forth two dates, they had lapsed with no tournament hosted.
“Please note that the matter of the defence of your WABA Supreme World Championship was deliberated on during our recent monthly board meeting held last Wednesday, June 1st, 2022 here in Arusha, Tanzania.
“It was noted that because of the Covid-19 pandemic, most Governments (including Zimbabwe) had put a blanket closure on most sporting activities.
“However, with the lifting and easing of the afore-mentioned restrictions, tournaments have since resumed globally.
“Kindly note that we have to adhere to certain time-frames within which we have to put logistical arrangements in place so as to ensure we have a flawless event.
“To this effect, therefore, please ensure you are in constant touch with our WABA country commissioner for Zimbabwe and share updates regards the matter.
“Failure to defend, as is the case with any other boxing sanctioning board the world over, gives the institution no other option but to declare the championship vacant.
“It will be unfortunate if we are to come to this decision, hence this communiqué,” wrote Ngowi.
The WABA chief in an interview yesterday said his association’s wish was to parade Manyuchi and other champions under their banner at a sports tourism tournament scheduled for Tanzania in August.
To be hosted under the auspices of the Arusha International Sports Tourism Initiative, the event seeks to market tourism packages around the northern tourism circuit that include the Arusha National Park, Lake Manyara and Serengeti. Manyuchi is an honorary WABA brand ambassador.
While Manyuchi was unavailable to comment at the time of going to press, this publication has it on good authority that he has since found an opponent (name provided) from the DRC and has retreated to Masvingo Province where he is in training.
A source privy to developments within the Manyuchi Boxing Academy (the promoter) also tipped of meetings recently held with sponsors that include the Nyaradzo Group (his platinum sponsor) to make an event happen. This is the third time that Manyuchi has had the scare of relinquishing of a title dangled over his head.
When he was a WBC silver champion ranked among the 25 best welterweights in the world following a historic win against Russian opponent Magommed in Ekatarinburg, the WBC was compelled to usher an interim champion after Manyuchi delayed to defend. He was, however, handed a reprieve and later unsuccessfully defended it against Quadratillo in Singapore where he shockingly lost by KO in the first round.
Early last year, WBF president, Howard Goldberg, again put him in the corner, threatening to strip him of the world title if he did not defend it. He complied, unifying it with the WABA and WPBF titles.
Holder of a record 15 titles to date, Manyuchi has hinted he will spike the gloves when he has achieved 20 championships, a feat that could earn him a slot in the Boxing Hall of Fame.
Online Reporter