Manyuchi’s protege loses his WBF title

Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter

RISING professional boxer, Brendon “Boika” Denese, will live to rue the decision to defy his mentor Charles Manyuchi’s advice never to take chances and flout the game’s rules.

Denese, arguably one of the best prospects in the sport locally, has been stripped of his World Boxing Federation inter-continental title.

He was scheduled to defend that title next month.

The 24-year-old fighter was flagged for participating in an amateur event in Victoria Falls last year, flouting international statutes which prohibit professional boxers from facing off against amateur pugilists.

Denese has subsequently been suspended by the Zimbabwe Boxing Control Board for disrespecting statutes.

The same fate has also befallen Freeman Mabvongwe who, like Denese, took part in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualifiers in Senegal.

Boxing statutes prohibits professionals from going back to amateur ranks.

It is Denese though, with an exciting record of 7-0-0, who will feel the pinch more than Mabvongwe, as he was gearing up to defend his title this April.

Denese knocked out highly-rated Malawian fighter Limbani Chikapa to land the WBF crown in September last year.

Their showdown was the major supporting bout to his boss Manyuchi’s WBF middleweight duel against Argentine Diego Gallardo.

Denese received a letter from WBF’s Africa president, Howard Golderg, notifying him of the developments.

“The policy of the World Boxing Federation pertaining to the Olympics is abundantly clear.

“The WBF does not approve of professional fighters, let alone WBF champions competing against amateurs in the Olympic Games.

‘‘Any WBF champion will have his or her title vacated should they participate in the Olympics,’’ read the letter.

The Charles Manyuchi Boxing Academy, under whose wings Denese falls, confirmed receiving another letter from the Zimbabwe National Boxing Control Board banning the athlete.

Apparently, Denese had not even sought clearance from the board to take part in the events he participated in.