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Tadious Manyepo

Sports Reporter

KUDAKWASHE “Take-Money” Chiwandire could gross much more than the US$20 000 purse money if she successfully defends her World Boxing Council interim super-bantamweight title against Zulina Munoz of Mexico.

The two highly-rated female pugilists face-off in an eagerly-awaited bout on October 1 at the Harare International Conference Centre.

And the Government has been leading the chorus of support for the 27-year-old history-making Chiwandire.

The Deputy Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Tino Machakaire, said Chiwandire should expect much more than just her purse money should she prevail on October 1.

“Firstly, as the Zimbabwe Government, we are fully behind our female boxer Kudakwashe ‘Take Money’ Chiwandire, who is scheduled to fight Zulina Munoz of Mexico on October 1 at the Harare International Conference Centre.

“We are urging the generality of Zimbabweans to go in their numbers and give her the much-needed support,” said Machakaire.

“Kudakwashe Chiwandire has already done us proud by winning the WBC interim super-bantamweight title in the first place. She has shown that this country has the potential to become a heavyweight in this sport.

“We believe she is in camp and she is working hard every day to ensure she is in shape for the fight. We understand she is already carrying the required weight even if she would have opted to carry an extra weight for training purposes.

“But, thumbs up to her and the management team for electing to train using the actual weight she is supposed to carry on the day of the fight. That is the height of professionalism and we are very happy to be seeing such a committed act being displayed by one of our own.

“Chiwandire has to fight for the badge and make all of us proud. We are very confident she will be able to finish off her opponent.”

Machakaire said he will be rewarding Chiwandire if she manages to emerge victorious on October 1.

The youthful Government official is an ardent follower of boxing and has previously rewarded local fighters including the iconic Charles Manyuchi.

The latter was rewarded with a cool $100 000 in September 2019 when he beat Pablo Ezequiel of Argentina to win the WBF middleweight world belt.

Meanwhile, tickets for the Chiwandire/Munoz bout have been put on sale with the cheapest going for US$10.

Spectators who will be in the VIP Enclosure will have to part with US$50 with those on the ringside expected to pay double that amount.

There will also be executive tables on the night which are going for US$1 000. The tickets are being sold at the Deltaforce offices at Morgan House, Corner Sam Nujoma and George Silundika Avenues, Mashwede Village in Glen View, Click and Pay at Eastgate as well as at the Pro Fitness Gym in Borrowdale.

Chiwandire is in camp training under the tutelage of her coach/manager Clyde Musonda as she prepares for the historic fight dubbed “Fire in the Hole”.

She spent most of her time last month camped in South Africa where she had three sparring matches.

The trip and the stay in South Africa were bankrolled by her sponsors KGK and Zororo Phumulani, which is powered by Doves Zimbabwe.