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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter

THE Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board has instituted a full investigation into the circumstances that led to a post-boxing bill brawl between promoter Clyde Musonda and pugilist Peter Pambeni in Harare early Sunday morning.

The Mau Mau Boxing Promotions organised “Peanuts for Diamonds” fiesta, which had 12 bouts on the card, was the first tournament to be held in the country since November 2019 and it produced a full package in thrills and spills.

However, Musonda of the Gypsite Boxing Promotions and former WBO Africa Zone champion Pambeni were involved in a nasty brawl after the bill.

Neither of them was involved in any way in the organisation of the tournament.

Before and during the tournament both Pambeni and Musonda were visibly drunk and shouted on top of their voices throughout the bill.

As stakeholders walked out of the venue, they were at each other’s throat while no one made any effort to restrain them.

Instead, people were taking videos one of which has gone viral.

The ZNBWCB has since instituted investigations on the matter.

In a statement by the board’s general secretary Lawrence Zimbudzana, the ZNBWCB said they will issue disciplinary proceedings after the inquiry is completed.

“The Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board motes with utter disgust the video circulating on social media depicting a post-match brawl which allegedly occurred after the Mau-Mau Peanuts for Diamonds Boxing Tournament which was hosted on 08 May 2021 at the Ministry of Information Studios along Mazowe Road in Harare,” read the statement.

“The tournament itself was largely successful and was the first local tournament post Covid-19 outbreak. Many pugilists expressed eagerness to partake in this bill as it afforded them an opportunity to remove ‘ring rust’ since the majority were last active in 2019.

“Whilst the ZNBWCB is yet to establish the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate incident, we would like to categorically state that we do not condone violence in any form within the boxing fraternity.

“Consequently we are launching a full investigation into this matter and have so far sought to obtain the details pertaining to this incident from the host of the tournament, the Mau Mau Boxing Promotions.

“Once the actual circumstances surrounding this incident are established, we will not hesitate to institute appropriate disciplinary measures against all those involved in this act.”

Pambeni is a product of street boxing in Epworth infamously known as Wafa Wafa and he at one point dumped the sport for a decade as he became a barber in South Africa before returning home to concentrate on fish poaching only for his boxing career to be resuscitated by Mau Mau some three years ago.

On the other hand, Musonda is understood to have had some score to settle with Pambeni who is reported to be a huge critic of the Gypsite Promotions boss over the manner he manages boxers.