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Tadious Manyepo in MASVINGO
THE WBF world middleweight boxing bout between Charles Manyuchi and Uganda’s Mahommed Sebyala on Saturday night will rank as one of the toughest the Zimbabwean has faced in recent years.
Sebyala dominated Manyuchi in the opening five of the 12 rounds, with his precision punching proving key in those moments.
Manyuchi had to change tact.
He was running late and the 41-year-old Ugandan was certainly winning.
And, fight back he did.
He tilted the scales a bit and his fierce blows produced two knock-downs, the moments which, effectively, decided the bout.
Manyuchi claimed a unanimous victory after Zimbabwean judge Patrick Mukondiwa scored 116-110 in favour of the champion.
His South African colleagues, Eddy Marshall and Elroy Marshall, gave the fight 117-109, in Manyuchi’s favour.
Eddy was a scoring referee after some of the officials tested positive for Covid-19 hours before the fight.
Mukondiwa said the knock-downs were key in Manyuchi’s victory.
“Those (knock-downs) were the decisive moments,” explained Mukondiwa.
“If an opponent hits the canvas, and the referee starts counting, the other fighter gets extra points for he/she is adjudged to have put some extra effort. So, in this case, I am sure it is those two knock-downs which gave Manyuchi some key advantage.”
There was dead silence, after the end of the final round, as it wasn’t clear whether the WBF title was staying put or was on its way to Uganda.
Even Manyuchi’s promoter, Prosper Chibaya, remained still on her ringside chair, with her head tightly cupped, in the hands.
She was sitted next to Manyuchi’s father Peter who, together with the boxer’s mother Irene, had been driven by a neighbour all the way from Nyabira, for the bout.
They looked pensive and were not sure whether their son was going to maintain his unbeaten record on home soil.
“It was tough, very tough,” said Manyuchi.
“My opponent was determined and so was I,” he said.
“I, obviously, wanted to finish him off within the distance, but he erected some huge hurdles and he really gave me a huge challenge.
“I am happy though that I managed to win this fight. I was ring rusty and that is a challenge in this game.
“You ought to be playing this game consistently and, unfortunately, we have been lying idle for the past 18 or so months, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“But, all the same I am happy with this victory.”
Online Reporter