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Charles Manyuchi

Sports Reporter
WORLD Boxing Council international welterweight champion Charles Manyuchi says he is running out of time to defend his title and risks being stripped of the honours without a punch being thrown if he can’t find a challenger within the next two months.

Manyuchi won the title in March 2014 against Ghana’s Patrick Allotey, before defending the title in November of the same year when he beat Deivis Casseres.

Last year he raised the country’s flag high as he retained his title against Italy’s Gianluca Frezza.

All his fights were staged outside Zimbabwe with the first two taking place in Zambia and the last in Italy with Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions from Zambia handling his matches.

However, the three-year contract between the Zimbabwean boxer and his Zambian promoters, who helped to put him on the world map, expired last year and he is yet to find another promoter.

“The World Boxing Council said I need to defend the title by February or March so I am left with two months. As I speak, I am not training, I don’t have anywhere to train,” said Manyuchi.

Manyuchi said there is need for the country to take boxing seriously and he noted that it would be good if Zimbabwe can host the fight in the event he finds a challenger for the title.

“I think Zimbabwe is not that poor. If Malawi can host (an international boxing match), why not Zimbabwe? And by hosting this fight, it’s not Charles Manyuchi who will benefit but Zimbabwe.

“I am appealing to the corporate world to say. let’s assist each other. The Minister of Sport (Makhosini Mahlongwane) is a hardworking guy, I am appealing to him for us to host the fight, to defend the title.

“I don’t have a promoter at the moment, those that are coming do not have the resources and in boxing you need money.

“We need Government for back-up, SRC and the Ministry of Sport and even the Ministry of Tourism because this will not benefit the Manyuchi family only but everyone,” said Manyuchi.