Mosquito set to host boxing bill

flyweight boxing champion Zvenyika Arifonso hopes to scale greater heights when he hosts another professional boxing bill at Arcadia Sports Club tomorrow.
Arifonso managed top shake off his bad boy image in August last year when he staged an exciting competition with limited technical hitches.
His bill then, featured four fights while the scheduled fifth bout was cancelled due to bad lighting.
Tomorrow Arifonso is joining forces with boxing promoter Fred Frank and they have lined up five fights on the card.
The main bout will see Tinashe Mwanzwana defending his bantamweight (53kgs) belt against challenger Batanai Luwizhi.
The champion is coming from the Mosquito Boxing Stable while Luwizhi trains under Thomas Kambuyi of the Juluka Boxing Club.
The two pugilists will trade leather over 12 rounds in what will be the only title fight for the day.
The other four supporting bouts are non-titles fight, including one women’s clash.
While the fight between Mwanzwana and Luwizhi is the main event, the supporting bout between seasoned fighters Charles Manyuchi and Misheck Kwangwari could steal the thunder on the day.
Manyuchi, who trains in Masvingo, is always confident when throwing punching and is comical in ducking blows from opponents.
Kwangwari has trained under Issa Phiri of Hard Rock but it will be the biggest upset if he will be able to floor Manyuchi in the welterweight non-title fight over six rounds.
The other supporting bout features Silas Mandeya taking to the square ring against Brian Mwando.
Mandeya has come out second best in his last two fights, losing on points to Never Mbereko in August last year while in January this year he fell short on points to Hastings “Sting” Banda of Zambia at Mulungushi Conference Centre.
Mandeya’s trainer Arifonso believes his boxer will come off age this time.
“Silas did well in the last fight against Banda but he lost because his opponent was better equipped.
“This time I hope that he will win,” said Arifonso.
Banda trains in the United States while Mandeya makes do with the bare minimum provisions in Zimbabwe.
Mandeya and Mwando clash in another welterweight (66.1kgs) six round bout while Ronald Tamani fights Tinashe Mutodza in a super-bantamweight (55kgs) fight.
This non-title fight is over eight rounds.
The two are taking part in a grudge match after Mutodza beat Tamani the last time they clashed at Stadart Complex.
Highly-rated female boxer Diana Makumbe trades blows with Cecilia Pitisen over 10 rounds in a featherweight (57kgs) contest.
The two female pugilists’ last meeting ended in a draw, although Makumbe, an orthodox boxer, will enter the ring as the favourite and Arifonso is confident of a good show.
“After the fine run from my first show as a promoter last year, I am hoping this tournament will be a huge success again.
“I hope to start early and should work on the mistakes from the first show,” said Arifonso.
Frank, who supported Arifonso in the first tournament, is also hopeful of a good show.
“As Frank Promotions, in conjunction with Mosquito Boxing Promotions, we have decided to host another professional boxing tournament.
“I was seeing on television how some foreign boxers disappointed in South Africa on Blow by Blow and yet I believe Zimbabwean boxers can do better if they get the invitations.
“The idea now is to give a platform to the boxers. We are calling on people from all works of life to come and learn the heart of the gladiators. “At the moment we are still receiving support from the Indian Community who also supported us the last time,” said Frank.