adminLovemore Dube Sports Editor
FORMER boxer Clyde Musonda is eager to see Zimbabwe play host to the biggest professional boxing tournament in the history of the sport in October.
Top of the billing will be a World Boxing Union (WBU) title fight. The event is set for Harare and sanction fees have already been paid. Musonda said he would involve international boxers and would also give his tournament a national outlook.
He called on the nation to stop moaning about the state of the sport arguing that if it was as bad as many think it is there would not be an African Boxing Union champion.
Charles Manyuchi holds the ABU welterweight title and is tipped to go all the way and feature among top boxers in more lucrative international boards.
“Let us stop mourning and look ahead. What Charles Manyuchi has done has been to show the nation and the corporate sector that the sport is very much alive. What it only needs is renewed interest and promoters to hunt for sponsorship for events.
Manyuchi’s win has shown us that we are international substance, we have what it takes so we have to build on what one of us has achieved,” said Musonda in a recent interview in Harare.
He said he wants to make his tournament one to remember.
“We want it to be a big event, we have engaged both the corporate sector and politicians. We would like to use sport to market Harare and the WBU title fight we are working on should be a crowd puller for the event that we are sure will market boxing,” said the former bantamweight boxer.
He could not disclose his line up but a number of boxers including some light heavyweights in Phillip Striker’s stable have been earmarked for the tournament.
Striker who has seen his boxers stay off the ring because of the promoters’ inactivity, said he was hopeful that the tournament would be held. This he said would give local boxers a chance to prove their worth taking advantage of the lifeline and publicity the sport has been thrown by Manyuchi’s Burkina Faso win of 26 June.
“We will welcome every opportunity that our boxers get to fight. It becomes a challenge for other promoters to want to come on board too. Clyde has been in touch and he wants my boxers in his tournament, we will definitely support his show and get a chance for our boxers to stay in shape,” said the man who has trained several big names in the country.
Online Reporter
derick.khumalo