Eleventh-Hour Rescue: National Youth Day Boxing To...

Eleventh-Hour Rescue: National Youth Day Boxing Tournament Overcomes Hurdles to Proceed

Hillary Josamu (R) today fights for the s/bantamweight national title

Gilbert Munetsi

Zim Now Writer

The Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board has been compelled to compromise and grant an eleventh-hour sanction to save, from cancellation, a highly-touted boxing tournament organised to commemorate National Youth Day in Bulawayo.

The event, themed “The Youth Day Trabablas War,” was designed to entertain thousands of young people who today gather at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) grounds to celebrate the annual holiday.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is the guest of honour at the commemoration, derives the name “Trabablas” from his days in the country’s liberation war.

According to sources, a budget of US$20,000 was allocated for the tournament through the Office of the Special Advisor to the President, Dr. Paul Tungwarara. The Ministry of Youth Empowerment and Vocational Training, responsible for youth affairs in the country, is also a key partner in the initiative.

However, the event faced regulatory challenges after the promoter failed to meet the stipulations outlined in the Boxing Act. Tournament organizers are required to submit boxers’ contracts, medical clearances, and purse agreements to the ZNBWCB at least 14 days before an event.

Due to non-compliance, emergency negotiations had to be conducted with boxing authorities just hours before the scheduled start. Some officials had to make an urgent trip to Bulawayo overnight to facilitate the necessary arrangements in the host city.

The main event is set to be a super-bantamweight national title bout between Hillary Josamu and Arifonso Zvenyika Jnr over 12 rounds.

However, the fight card has suffered a major setback as former World Boxing Council champion Kudakwashe “Take Money” Chiwandire’s scheduled bout against Malawian fighter Mercy Mashiri was cancelled after the Malawian contingent failed to travel due to undisclosed reasons.

In a bid to keep Chiwandire in the tournament, organizers attempted to match her against Botswana’s Pheki Bele, who is seeking a professional debut. However, the latter’s camp declined the offer, citing Chiwandire’s significant experience as an unfair advantage.

Efforts were being made to find a suitable local opponent for Bele given the distance she had already travelled for the event.

Logistical challenges also plagued the event’s preparations. As late as 10am, organizers were still in the process of securing additional trained boxing referees, as only two had travelled from Harare.

Additionally, a team was at the same time dispatched to procure an official weighing scale for the fighters, despite weigh-ins typically being conducted a day before the event to allow boxers to adjust to their optimal competition weight. At the time of going to press, there were six confirmed bouts out of the total 10 earlier submitted.

Efforts to obtain a comment from Concorde Young Women in Business, one of the organising entities, were unsuccessful as they had not responded to inquiries by the time of publication. The Acting CEO of the ZNBWCB, Priscilla Kadungure, had also not responded to questions sent to her, and neither was she picking up her phone.

The eleventh-hour adjustments highlight the need for stricter adherence to regulatory requirements to ensure the smooth execution of sporting events. While the tournament will proceed in an altered format, the controversy surrounding its organisation raises questions about compliance and planning within Zimbabwe’s boxing fraternity.