Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
WORLD Boxing Council welterweight silver champion Charles Manyuchi is expecting to leave for Zambia next week to begin preparing for his title defence fight against France’s Damien Martin at the Harare International Conference Centre on September 30.
The bout will be his first on home soil and will be the highlight of other WBC and African Boxing Union fights lined up on that day.
Manyuchi, who is currently working with his father Otis and Ali Phiri said he will be leaving for Zambia next week where he will also have a warm up match on August 27.
“I’m going to Zambia next week. I’ll get the actual date this week. But definitely next week I’ll be leaving for Zambia. I’ll be fighting on the 27th of August, then I’ll fight on September 30.
“In August it will be a non-title bout, it’s a warm-up fight against Ibrahim Class from Tanzania. He’s a World Professional Boxing Federation champion.
“I’m having light training here with Ali Phiri and my father waiting to for the preparations in Zambia. I’ll come back just before the match. This is an important match for me,” said Manyuchi.
Six bouts have been lined up for September 30 and Zimbabwe’s Anyway Katunga will also be on the roster as he dates Alfred Muwowo of Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions in a non-title flyweight fight.
Babra Banda clashes against Zimbabwe’s Kudakwashe Chiwandire in a non-title flyweight bout while Gibon Kamota from Oriental Quarries takes on another Zimbabwean boxer Tinashe Mwadziwana in a non-title bantamweight match.
The ABU match is between Oriental Quarries’ Mbiya Nkanku and Mohammed Lassoued from Tunisia in a super welterweight match.
Manyuchi’s handlers have also said they are trying to bring in Zambia’s top female boxer, Catherine Phiri on the day in support of the welterweight silver champion.
Phiri wrote her own piece of history early this year by becoming the first African to win the WBC gold bantamweight title when she beat Yazmin Rivas of Mexico.
