Zimpapers Logo

BUBBLING WITH CONFIDENCE . . .Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions manager, Chris Malunga, (centre) stresses a point during a press conference yesterday at the Ministry of Sport and Recreation offices in Harare while coach Mike Zulu (left) and Charles Manyuchi look on

Sports Reporter
WITH less than two weeks to go before the much-hyped Charles Manyuchi’s first fight in Zimbabwe, his coach Mike Zulu is convinced the boxer will come out victorious on October 14.

The World Boxing Council welterweight silver voluntary title defence fight is set for the Harare International Conference Centre and Manyuchi, together with his coach, are now in the country for the bout.

Manyuchi was originally pencilled to fight Damien Martin of France, but the European opponent has since pulled out.Of late Colombia’s Jose Agustin Julio Feria’s name has been mentioned for this fight, but there is no confirmation and he might not even be the opponent the Zimbabwean boxer will face.

Although it is not yet clear who Manyuchi will fight on October 14, speaking on the sidelines of a press briefing yesterday, Zulu made it clear that they are going out for a win for the upcoming assignment.

“It’s a win, I am assuring the fans that. Please come in numbers. We are going to give the Zimbabwean fans a good fight for their money, they really deserve a good fight. “This fight is going to leave a mark. Even those who are coming up, those who are saying is boxing a good sport? We are saying it changes somebody’s life. So this is it, it has come.

“So from now on it’s not going to be the first or last, we are here to stay and give the Zimbabwean fans more fights. He is very ready for this fight because we have been training since the previous fight which we had in Zambia. So we knew that this fight is coming on so we have been in the gym since,” said Zulu.

The Zambian coach said they will be fine-tuning their preparations in the few remaining days.

“All the fights we take them the same. We can say we meet different opponents, but we have been preparing for this fight. We knew this is coming so we are geared for this. We are professionals, we are serious people.

“We have been doing some gruelling training, but as it is now, we cannot just say okay lets relax because the fight is in about a few days’ time. We have got to always be in the gym, just to keep that pace,” said Zulu.

Manyuchi said he is ready to conquer the world again.“For me, everything, I think, we are almost done (with) the training. We are just waiting for the day and I am going to make it for Zimbabwe, Zambia and Africa as a whole,” said Manyuchi.

While Manyuchi is already here, Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions manager, Chris Malunga said the rest of the fighters to feature on the day are expected on October 9. “Charles Manyuchi is in already and we expect all the foreign boxers to arrive on the 9th. More details will be given to you as they arrive, who is arriving on that particular day, we will give you the list,” said Malunga.