‘Let’s support our Charlie’ FOR OUR HERO . . . Sport and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane addresses stakeholders at the breakfast meeting in Harare yesterday to start the fund-raising campaign for Charles Manyuchi’s title fight
FOR OUR HERO . . . Sport and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane addresses stakeholders at the breakfast meeting in Harare yesterday to start the fund-raising campaign for Charles Manyuchi’s title fight

FOR OUR HERO . . . Sport and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane addresses stakeholders at the breakfast meeting in Harare yesterday to start the fund-raising campaign for Charles Manyuchi’s title fight

Eddie Chikamhi : Sports Reporter

MINISTER of Sport and Recreation Makhosini Hlongwane has appealed to the business community to come in a big way and support the first international boxing tournament to be held in the country next month when Charles Manyuchi defends his WBC silver welterweight title. Manyuchi is scheduled to face Frenchman Damien Martin at the Harare International Conference Centre on October 14.=This will be his first international fight on home soil and for the tournament which also has an interesting line-up of supporting bouts on the night to be successful a budget of $172 000 has been drawn up.

Addressing a breakfast meeting at the launch of the tournament sponsorship package yesterday, Hlongwane said the business community is a key partner in the staging of the event, which will definitely put Zimbabwe on the world map.

“This forthcoming fight against Damien Martin of France is an important fight for Charles as it is going to be his first on home soil. As a matter of fact, it is the biggest championship of this magnitude to be fought on Zimbabwean soil.

“Ladies and gentlemen, sport does not operate as an enclave, but relies upon support from the corporate world. It is through direct involvement of the corporate sponsors in sport that will enable the emergence of many Manyuchis in boxing and athletes or renown in other sporting codes.

“The sponsorship package for Charles Manyuchi comes timeously and handy for Zimbabwe in general and boxing in particular, as it brings a plethora of opportunities.

“It will go a long way in expanding the development of boxing in this country. It will also spur and set a standard for local administration of boxing and be a stimulant for our young and upcoming boxers and promoters in the country,” said Hlongwane.

The breakfast meeting was a brainchild of Manyuchi’s Zambian stable, Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions and was held with support from the Ministry of Sport and Culture, Manyuchi’s local sponsor Mr T35 and the business community.

Other boxing stakeholders, who included promoters and managers like Boris Znider and Stalin Mau Mau, also attended the sponsorship launch.

Malunga was particularly impressed by the response from the business community. He revealed that sponsors should expect high returns in terms of publicity by associating with the event.

Oriental Quarries Boxing promotions are also looking to have the bout beamed live on national broadcasting station ZBC for free as an incentive to sponsors.

“It was excellent. You saw a number of would-be sponsors coming into the venue and their response I think it was very good. We had about 40 of them and if we can have even just about half of that coming on board.

“We are very proud of the Government. The Minister spoke very well and in his speech he has emphasised that he needs to make sure that amateur boxing is given that support.

“I support that because amateur boxing is the foundation for professional boxing so it is very critical that they are also given that sponsorship package,” said Malunga.

Meanwhile, Hlongwane yesterday toured Danhiko project in the capital.

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