adminAugustine Hwata Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S former World Boxing Organisation Pan-African super- middleweight champion Tineyi Mharidzo has been given a chance to restore his battered pride when he challenges for another vacant inter-continental belt. Mharidzo, who held the WBO continental title between 2009 and 2010 before he was stripped after failing to defend it, could get a crack at another belt when he fights Mohammed Saaid of Brazil for the inter-continental World Professional Boxing Federation super-middleweight title next year.
Saaid is the number one contender while Mharidzo earned the right to fight him after beating fellow Zimbabwean, Edmos Takawira, in a WPBF elimination bout at the Harare International Conference Centre on Saturday night.
The match between Mharidzo and Takawira was upgraded to be the main fight after the scheduled World Boxing Union between Zimbabwe’s Tapiwa Tembo and Zambia’s Gibbon Kamota was cancelled.
What was supposed to be an historic world title fight in Zimbabwe was called off after the promoters Delta Force Boxing failed to meet some of the guarantees demanded by the Zimbabwe Boxing Control Board.
With the WBU match off the card, Delta Force then upgraded the main supporting bout between Takawira and Mharidzo to be the main event with three other supporting fights, spiced by performances from local dance-hall artistes.
The 30-year-old Mharidzo has now taken his professional record to 13 wins, dented by four defeats, while Takawira’s record stands at 16/9.
Mharidzo caught his older opponent with a left hook to the head in the third round to send him to the canvass and win by a knockout. In the other bouts, Tinashe Madziwana from Delta Force stable beat Anywhere Katunga from Juluka Boxing Academy in the fifth round of their scheduled six-round bantamweight non-title match.
Madziwana’s right upper cut to the jaw floored Katunga to end the fight after he had, earlier on, survived counts on three times in the third round.
The other lively bout was between Noel Mpofu of Bulawayo who overcame Trevor Mpofu in the third round of their scheduled six-round cruiser-weight non-title fight. Noel’s straight right punch found its mark on Trevor who appeared dizzy from the effects and was saved from further punishment by veteran referee John Govah.
Trevor Mpofu trains under veteran coach Phillip “Striker” Ndlovu who once took charge of heavyweight champion Thamsanqa Dube. In the opening fight, Last Mugari made his debut in professional boxing by trading leather with Trymore Musira.
The match was declared a draw but Mugari felt robbed as he had the upper hand over his experienced rival. Delta Force manager Clyde Musonda said the show was an eye-opener for them as they joined hands with Patson Chimbodza of Chipaz Music Promotions who brought in Dhadza D, Sniper Storm, Lady D, Killer T and Godfather Templeman.
“After we failed to hold the fight between Tembo and Kamota, we had to go ahead with what was available and I think was an eye-opener.
“We should be better equipped now to handle the WBU fight on December 22 and I am happy that we managed to get nearly 2 000 people coming to attend our show,” said Musonda.
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