adminRicky Zililo Sports Reporter
RENOWNED boxing trainer Philip “Striker” Ndlovu has expressed concern at the lack of fights for the South Africa-based Bulawayo flyweight boxer Ntando Sibanda.
Ndlovu who identified and nurtured Sibanda at Tshaka Youth Centre in Makokoba said he feared the pugilist’s career might end in the gym as he has not fought for almost a year.
The former Zimbabwe National Youth Games multi-medallist who relocated to South Africa at the beginning of the year has had a number of his fights cancelled.
“Ntando (Sibanda) is talented and as a coach I am very worried that he may never realise his full potential in South Africa. He has been training there for more than six months, sparring with his gym mates but he is not getting any fights. That is not good for the boy because he needs to fight.
“I am beginning to fear that he is being used because I met his coaches and some boxers he trains with at a tournament in Namibia. If he is failing to make any breakthroughs, I think it is best that he returns home and we try to get him fights in Namibia where most locals fight,” said Ndlovu.
The pencil slim boxer, probably another Mosquito (former Commonwealth winner Alfonso Zvenyika) has represented Zimbabwe a number of times at the Zone Six Games.
He graduated to professional boxing in 2011 when he traded leather with Meluleki Ngulube in an under card of the Thamsanqa Dube-Arigoma Chiponda non-title fight.
Sibanda relocated to Johannesburg in a bid to get more fights at the beginning of the year and has been training at Bronx Gym in Hillbrow under trainer-cum-manager Gert Strydom who also handles heavyweight boxer Elvis “Bulawayo Bomber” Moyo.
The Makokoba-born boxer was forced to wait longer for a debut fight in South Africa after his fight last month against Joshua Studdard was postponed indefinitely.
The former Zimbabwe National Youth Games champion had been billed to fight in a non-title contest at Gold Reef City in Johannesburg in a bout that was supposed to be his major in professional boxing.
Sibanda has vowed to work hard despite the setbacks.
“Obviously I am disappointed because I have been working hard with the hope of getting a fight but then the organisers thought otherwise. I am waiting for a breakthrough so that I prove in the ring what I am capable of. I will continue training hard because I cannot afford to relax. My time will come and when that happens I will not let the opportunity pass,” said Sibanda.
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derick.khumalo