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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
WORLD Boxing Council (WBC) interim super-bantamweight champion, Kudakwashe “Take Money” Chiwandire, has postponed her scheduled camp in South Africa to attend the WBC seminar and African Boxing Union (ABU) convention in Victoria Falls following her special invitation for both events.
The WBC seminar for All African officials training and grading takes place between July 25-27 and it will be followed by the ABU Convention in the same resort town from July 29-30.
Chiwandire, together with her coach/promoter Clyde Musonda, have been invited for the historic events taking place in this country for the first time and they have since confirmed their participation.
WBC vice-president Houcine Houchi, who is also the ABU president who will officiate at the two events, invited Chiwandire to attend, given she is the only holder of a WBC accolade in this country.
The 26-year-old pugilist was supposed to have left the country on July 18 for Cape Town, South Africa, for her final camp in preparation of the WBC interim title defence against Mexican Zulina Munoz at the Harare International Conference Centre on August 20.
Her management team has since secured sparring partners in Cape Town who will help in her conditioning ahead of the crucial battle against Munoz.
Musonda yesterday told The Herald the trip to South Africa has been moved forward to allow them to first attend the equally important WBC and ABU events.
“We were supposed to have left for South Africa together with my boxer Kuda Chiwandire on July 18. But the WBC vice-president (Houchi) extended a special invitation to us so we could be part of the two events taking place in our country for the first time,” said Musonda.
“Chiwandire is the WBC super-bantamweight interim champion and normally, the WBC invite whoever has any of their belts in the host country to attend their conventions.
“So as the Kuda Chiwandire management, well, we are very excited by this invitation at a time we are also preparing to defend our title on home soil.
“We are extremely happy for the recognition and in as much as we would have wanted to go to South Africa early, we simply can’t afford to miss this great opportunity to mix and mingle with the greatest boxing brains in the world.
“These seminars will help us keep in touch with the latest developments including technological advancement.
“But we will be training while in Victoria Falls then leave for South Africa on July 31 after the two events.”
Meanwhile at least 110 delegates have confirmed their participation at the two events so far and they are from such countries as South Africa, Botswana, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Namibia, Cameroon, Egypt, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Mali, the United States of America, Morocco, Ireland and the hosts Zimbabwe.
The organisers are looking at grouping at least 120 delegates. WBC experts, Kevin Noone and Daniel Van De Wiele, will facilitate the WBC seminar.
Besides financial benefits from sports tourism, the country’s boxing officials stand to benefit more as the certificates they will get upon successfully completing the two events will give them access to officiating at regional, continental and international competitions.
A showcase boxing tournament has also been lined-up by promoter Stalin Mau-Mau on the sidelines of the event where WIBA intercontinental lightweight champion Monalisa Sibanda of Zimbabwe will defend her crown against Uganda’s Small Valente Aciro on July 27. The tournament will feature six bouts.
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