Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
THE May 23 Pride of Mutare Boxing Tournament is the launch-pad for an ambitious project that will culminate in the opening of a Mutare-based boxing academy, equipped to internationally accepted standards, Post Sport can reveal.
A mega boxing tournament – the first of its kind – dubbed The Pride of Mutare Boxing Tournament, will see international pugilists from six nations take to the ring when it rolls into life in the eastern border city on May 23 at Mutare Sports Club.
Organisers say the initiative is a calculated move expected, not only to popularise boxing in Mutare and across Manicaland, but also to provide a platform for talent identification and development, create employment through sport, and serve as a tool in the fight against drug and substance abuse. Speaking during the launch of the Pride of Mutare International Boxing Tournament last Wednesday, Mutare City Council Town Clerk, Blessing Chafesuka said: “This is a day I have been waiting for, for a long time. I will share the background of this project. We are not only supporting sport to bring international boxers to Mutare. We are using this as a launch-pad to set up our own academy for boxing. After this event, we will have our own internationally acceptable boxing ring in Mutare and our own group of boxers.
“While we are bringing boxers from Tanzania and South Africa today, in the next three or four years we should be sending our own boxers to compete in South Africa, America and beyond. That is our dream. We took this initiative when Charles Manyuchi hosted another international boxing event in Chivhu last year. We sent our councillors and officials to experience what it means to host events of this nature. I am sure they enjoyed it. The build-up was that we took it further, got our budget approved and then applied for permission from Central Government, through the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe, to contract Manyuchi Academy.
“That approval was granted, and we contracted Charles Manyuchi Boxing Academy. I am happy that things are going this way. Let all roads lead to Mutare; high profile and low profile must all come to Mutare to witness this event. Ladies and gentlemen, this is our moment, let us all shine as the city of Mutare.”
Chafesuka underscored the importance of sport in employment creation.
“Let us remember that sport is not only about physical activity. It is also about livelihoods and welfare. Boxing is one of the highest-paying sports in the world. Look at Pacquiao and Mayweather; they make millions within a few minutes. We want to make sure this is a huge success,” he said.
Chafesuka outlined some of the sporting facility projects the local authority is undertaking.
“As a country, we have dragged behind in supporting sport. I was actually surprised that Charles Manyuchi at one point won a gold medal in Mutare. We have had so many years when we failed to host tournaments of this nature. It also shows in what is happening on our streets. There is a lot of drug abuse because many of our youths are idle.
“So as a city, we have taken a stance to strengthen sports participation. Yes, we started small, but we are strengthening our sporting budget. We have done a lot for Sakubva Stadium, and we are still investing more. We have just completed renovations of our Sakubva Swimming Pool, and as we speak, our contractor for the tennis court in Sakubva should complete work in the next two or three months. We are reviving our sports complex in Chikanga, and our next project will be in Dangamvura. So there is a lot happening in terms of supporting sport,” he said.
Chafesuka thanked Mutare residents for supporting the sacrifices needed for the development of sport in the city.
“We took this idea to residents and they supported it by agreeing to a sports levy tariff. Through that tariff we are now able to do a lot for this community and we are reviving boxing in Mutare,” he said.
