Sundaymail Editor
Langton Nyakwenda
VETERAN boxing promoter Stalin Mau Mau, who is regarded as the “Don King” of local boxing, has vowed to be part of the sport until he dies.
In fact, his wish is to be buried in a grave that resembles a boxing ring.
Mau Mau turned 69 on Tuesday last week. He has no intentions of slowing down despite numerous challenges facing local promoters.
He is one of the few promoters who have managed to stage local professional boxing tournaments in recent years through his “Peanuts to Diamonds” series.
Prosper Chibaya of the Charles Manyuchi Boxing Academy, who promotes female boxers, has also been active on the local scene.
“It’s now very expensive to hold a tournament as the environment has become too prohibitive,” lamented Mau Mau when The Sunday Mail Sport sat down with him at his home in Greendale last week.
“You need about US$5 000 to put up a tournament, and, without sponsorship, that’s a lot of money.
“Sadly, there are no reciprocal benefits from hosting local boxing tournaments.
“Once you put in the US$5 000, it goes down the drain and there are no returns.”
Mau Mau has dedicated most of his life to boxing as both a promoter and manager.
He has also worked with a number of boxers, some of whom won international titles from respected bodies like the Commonwealth Boxing Council and the World Boxing Organisation (WBO).
Former Commonwealth flyweight champion Arifonso “Mosquito” Zvenyika, Misheck Kondwani, Hastings Rasani, Godfrey Musiiwa and Farai Musiiwa are some of the yesteryear boxers who worked with the veteran promoter.
There were times he contemplated quitting due to various reasons, including lack of acknowledgement from the local boxing sector.
“The sacrifice will continue,” he says.
“This year, I look forward to pouring in more money despite the prohibitive environment.
“I won’t quit boxing; I will be in boxing until I die. “I think when I die, you will have to design a grave that symbolises the ring because of my emotional attachment to this sport.”
He, however, expressed concern over “mickey mouse” international boxing titles that were slowly emerging.
Covid-19, he also said, was a major setback for the sport.
“When the pandemic was in our midst, everything came to a standstill; not only in Zimbabwe, but all over the world.
“It was also very difficult to operate because of the past economic meltdown, but we all know how the new Government is trying very hard to resuscitate the economy.
“But I am happy we are back to full throttle. I am happy things are beginning to shape up, but it calls for every stakeholder to be involved in uplifting the sport.”
He is also happy Zimbabwe could soon have its own “real world boxing champion” in Kudakwashe “Take Money” Chiwandire.
The 27-year-old boxer will fight for the World Boxing Council Gold Super bantamweight belt against champion Yamileth Mercado in Mexico on March 18.
“WBC (World Boxing Council) is really at the top.
“You also have the World Boxing Association, World Boxing Organisation and International Boxing Federation also among the top sanctioning bodies,” he said.
“So, if Chiwandire is going to fight for the WBC gold title, it will enhance the status of Zimbabwe as a boxing nation.
“Even if she loses, I can assure you the publicity will still be universal and impactful.
“That is the pinnacle we are heading to – a female boxer getting to the top, but we also need male boxers to emulate that.”
The WBC honoured Mau Mau for his relentless service to local boxing at the organisation’s symposium held in Victoria Falls in July last year.
“I realised that there are people out there who are recognising my sacrifices,” he said.
“But it’s very unfortunate that I have not been honoured by my own people. Maybe it’s a case of a prophet not being honoured in his own land.
“It is good to be honoured by your own people because that’s where you will have sweated and sacrificed a lot.
“I have changed the lives of quite a number of boxers.”
Over the years, Mau Mau’s tournaments have been a springboard for most Zimbabwean boxers.
Former WBC Silver welterweight champion Manyuchi, for example, turned professional at a tournament organised by Mau Mau in 2005.
Peter Pambeni, a former WBO Africa champion, won the title under the management of Mau Mau, while Zvenyika reached his pinnacle when he was still with the veteran promoter’s stable.
Online Reporter