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In a sport littered with comeback stories that end in nightmares, the hard-hitting Sibanda, fresh from a two-year maternity-induced sabbatical, is ready to send opponents and records tumbling.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail at her Raylton Sports Club training base in Harare last week, the pugilist warned critics who were already halfway through writing her obituary to put their pens down and turn their eyes to the ring.
“I have never been this fired up and am ready to show that female boxing is still alive and is here to stay,” she said.
The 28-year-old Sibanda, who is married to a Johane Masowe pastor, bemoaned the dearth of corporate support for the sport.
“I believe I am talented and I can achieve great things in the boxing ring but the lack of finances has been a major setback. The absence of attractive incentives is one of the reasons I decided to briefly walk away from boxing, but as you know one can never turn their back on a passion hence I am back and ready to do the business.”
Sibanda, whose last fight was a knockout defeat of South African Queen Tshabalala back in 2009, maintains she is not worried about the negative effects her long absence from the ring might have on her performance.
“Boxing runs in my blood, so it’s just as natural as breathing,” she said.
However, Sibanda expressed discontent at the failure by other female boxers to break into the international stage, showing that bigotry has hindered the girl child from taking up the sport at a professional level.
“Boxing has always been regarded as a male sport. People in society have refused to accept that women are equally capable of taking up the sport.”-The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter