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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Zimbabwe heavyweight boxing champion, Thamsanqa Dube, returns to the ring tonight for the first time in eight years to face Ugandan Shafik Kiwanuka in a World Boxing Federation (WBF) Africa heavyweight title bout.
The two will trade leather at Kampala’s Lugogo Cricket Oval.
Dube, who goes by the name “Baby Elephant” or “Thamzoya” in the ring, last fought in June 2011 when he was floored by Flo Simba in a non-title contest.
The former Pan-African heavyweight champion is confident of relaunching his boxing career with a win over Kiwanuka, who is known as “The Killing Machine” in his home country.
The bout will be watched by WBF president Howard Golding.
“I’m ready for the fight and I don’t have much to say, except letting my boxing speak for me. People of Uganda should come in their numbers to see the new champion in town,” said Dube. The Bulawayo-based boxer won the Pan-African heavyweight title in 2009 in Johannesburg, South Africa, after beating Jack Els in the eighth round.
Dube has 15 career fights, winning an incredible 12 bouts and losing three.
Kiwanuka turned to professional boxing at the beginning of this year and has only fought twice and won both bouts.
He told Ugandan media that he was ready to floor Dube.
“I am ready to rumble. I thank my university, promoters, coaches and everyone for promoting me. I am The Killing Machine and The Killing Machine is ready to rumble. I will not promise which round to knock out Dube, but he will fall,” Kiwanuka said.
In the build-up to the fight, Dube spent a week in South Africa where he sparred against a number of heavyweight boxers, who included South African-based Malawi pugilist Isaac Chilembe. — @ZililoR.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter