Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda-Zimpapers Sports Hub
PREVIOUSLY renowned for its farming activities, Mvurwi also now boasts of a sporting star, whose rise has left many in the Mashonaland Central town dreaming big.
A 19-year-old boxing star has emerged from the Mashonaland Central farming town, which is located 100km from Harare.
Mike Moffat’s ascendancy to the national featherweight crown is another timely reminder of the boxing talent that is dotted across the country, including in some small centres.
Coming out of Roygri Boxing Promotions, Moffat defeat Zvenyika Arifonso Jr at a boxing tournament held in Mvurwi last weekend.
Arifonso Jr is the son of former Commonwealth boxing champion Zvenyika, who is popularly known as “Mosquito” and hails from Harare’s suburb of Mbare.
Arifonso Jr’s defeat has provided another opportunity to examine why sons of boxing legends have failed to take over the mantles from their fathers. The late Gilbert “Giro” Josamu, also from Mbare, has a son, Hillary, who is yet to win a respected belt.
“It’s true, boxing is very popular and well supported in major cities like Harare and Bulawayo, but the other reality is that we also have the talent here in Mvurwi,” bragged Royc Archibald of Roygri Boxing Promotions.
Archibald has sacrificed a lot for boxing development in Mvurwi.
He owns a modest gym and would sometimes borrow money to take amateur boxers to tournaments as far as Victoria Falls.
One of those was Moffat, who is now a national Featherweight champion.
“I owe him (Archibald) a lot,” said Moffat.
“One thing I want to try and do is for him to recover the money he has invested in my development.” His next target is an international non-title fight against a Malawian boxer yet to be named on August 28.
His ultimate aim is to bring the World Boxing Council Featherweight belt to Zimbabwe.
No Zimbabwean has won a gold WBC belt before. The legendary Charles Manyuchi won the Silver belt, which is a rung lower than the prestigious gold belt.
Over the years, Zimbabwe has produced star boxers, including the late Proud “Kilimanjaro” Chinembiri, Langton “Schoolboy” Tinago, Arifonso Zvenyika, Brendon “Boika” Denes and Aliyah Phiri. None of the above won a WBC world title.
“But we believe Zimbabwe can still do it because the talent is there in this country.
“Mvurwi boxing is developed more than what you think, and we are still moving’’.
He warned against underrating smaller centres, which have often produced star sports-persons.
“When people hear about Mvurwi, they think of a remote area, but as Mvurwi, we now have a national champion, and it’s a development that has uplifted the province.
