adminLOCAL boxing’s spiral towards obscurity looks set to continue after negotiations between the Zimbabwe National Boxing Control Board and United States-based company Lion Heart Productions hit a sour stalemate last week, The Sunday Mail has established.
Lion Heart Boxing Productions is an integrated Boxing Promoter and Sports Entertainment company, famed for spearheading “Thursday Night Fights” around the globe that has been courting the ZNBCB with the hope of introducing the popular concept in Zimbabwe.
The company sent their emissary Edward Mendy, Lion Heart’s chief financial officer, to strike a deal that would have seen the company hosting a tournament sometime early May and later go on to promote “Thursday Night Fights”.
However, Mendy had a nightmarish 10-day tour of duty, with ZNBCB officials suspecting that he was out to dupe the cash-stricken boxing control board.
Commenting on the eve of his departure, Mendy expressed dismay at the treatment he received.
“To say that I’m disappointed with the reception I was given by the board and the manner in which our proposed pro boxing project was treated by the board would be an understatement,” he said.
“It is safe to assume that the board has no interest in sanctioning the May event our company proposed. I leave Zimbabwe having achieved everything I set out to achieve except one: indication of interest and/or permission from the board to go ahead with the planning and organisation of the proposed events.
“Given the warm welcome I received from Zimbabweans from all walks of life, the country’s great potential as a sports tourism destination, its historic place as a regional boxing powerhouse and the seemingly enthusiastic support of our boxing endeavours in Zimbabwe by boxers, coaches and various other stakeholders, I am at a complete loss as to what to tell my partners about our proposed Zim Boxing Project,” he said.
ZNBCB chairman Paul Nenjerama accused Mendy of trying to put the cart before the horse and disclosed that they have since taken Lion Heart’s proposal to Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Andrew Langa for further scrutiny.
“The minister has promised to meet with the full board sometime this week. We have forwarded the Mendy proposal as one of the many items for discussion.
“We believe it is prudent to first meet the Ministry, especially with the many issues to be considered on the Lion Heart Productions proposal,” he said.
Mendy had proposed a deal to bring the “Big 5” of international boxing to Zimbabwe as part of a broad plan to promote the sport.
The so-called “Big 5” are Riddick Bowe, Roy Mercer, James Tony, Lamon Brewster and Chris Byrd, whose wife Tracy manages the five.
Between them, the “Big 5” have fought the world’s best among whom include the likes of Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, Lennox Lewis, Evander Hollyfield, Larry Holmes, Samuel Peter and Andrew Golota.
Online Reporter