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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
IT keeps on getting better for WBC super-bantamweight interim boxing champion Kudakwashe “Take Money” Chiwandire.
As corporates are starting to appreciate and endorse her, a continental charity organisation, JR Turner Foundation, yesterday presented the pugilist with a statue of the great Muhammad Ali.
The 26-year old fighter will auction the piece at a fundraising dinner to be held in Harare in the coming few weeks.
Chiwandire will pocket the proceeds which she will use towards preparing for her title defence against Mexican Zulina Munoz on August 27 at the Harare International Conference Centre.
The statue, an entire bronze sculpture, was made in 1970 by the late American artist Jesse Richardson and was endorsed by Ali himself who is widely regarded as the greatest boxer in history.
Only 50 pieces of the same make were made available and for Chiwandire to have been picked as one of the beneficiaries of the iconic feature speaks volumes of how big a brand she has become in a matter of months.
Chiwandire was virtually unknown before February 26 when she defeated Catherine Phiri of Zambia at the Lusaka Government Complex.
And just four months after the act, she has been given the mandate to conduct one of the biggest auctions ever witnessed in this country.
The dinner is being organised by her stable, Deltaforce, led by Clyde Musonda who is also her promoter and coach along with the boxer’s anchor sponsors, KGK.
President Mnangagwa is expected to officiate at the dinner.
Arts and Culture Conservator for the foundation, Gari Ben Israel, said Chiwandire will pocket a huge chunk of the proceeds from the sale of the piece which is valued at US$45 000.
“Let me first highlight that the foundation was founded and inspired by the people of Africa for the preservation of our history and being able to uplift those of African descend from wherever they maybe around the world and whatever the endeavour they would have contributed to the continent whether they are doctors, advocates…
“So our mandate is to preserve our history, reveal it to the world so that all people from all over the globe know. So this (Muhammad Ali statue) is one of the gifts given to us some two years ago by the family of the artists, Jesse Richardson, who was also an advocate of preserving African history, gave it to us as a tool to preserve history.
“This statue is valued at US$45 000 so the JR Turner Foundation has decided to be able to allow ‘Take Money’ to auction the tool and realise some money which she will use towards her title defence,” he said.
“The JR Turner Foundation has been given a mandate by the Institute of African Knowledge to build the Great African Memorial Park which will be built in several countries across the continent but mainly focusing in Zimbabwe at the African Liberation Museum.”
Musonda said the donation will go a long way in helping Chiwandire prepare for her title defence next month.
Online Reporter