AfriFites series beckons for Harare

Harry Simon (boxer) - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia — Former world champion Harry Simon (31-0) will feature on the AfriFites series in Harare

Gilbert Munetsi

Its less than six weeks before American boxing promotions and production company, Lion Heart, hosts the inaugural series of AfriFites in Zimbabwe.

A promotional licence has since been issued by the Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board and a host plan put in place for the international tournament that will have on the bout card a mixed bag of world champions and local pugilists.

According to the Kinnelon, USA-based company, the fight series will be held at various cities on the African continent.

“What we are bringing to Zimbabwe, and to Africa in general, is a simple concept that has on the menu quality fights featuring top African talent – i.e boxing champions, title contenders and upcoming prospects – as well as fighters from the international scene. The events will be hosted at top venues on the continent and televised worldwide.

“Typically, each event will be broadcasted nationally in the host country, streamed worldwide on the internet and syndicated globally as feasible,” Lion Heart Chief Finance Officer Edward Mendy told Zim Now in an interview from New Jersey on Wednesday. He said the first episode of AfriFite which was dubbed the “Genesis” was promoted by MTC Salute Boxing Academy in association with his company in November 2022, and it took place at the Safari Hotel in Windhoek, Namibia.

“We called it that (Genesis) as it was the kickoff and first event in the series. Then, we featured a World Boxing Association’s flyweight title fight between Fillemon NGhutenanye (10-1) and Ally Ngwando (8-1) as the main event.

“For Zimbabwe, we hope to feature American heavyweight contender Christopher Lovejoy (20-1) versus the boxing great, Harry Simon (31-0) in a legends exhibition. Simon is considered one of the top five African fighters of all time and the longest serving undefeated world champion for 25 years. Zimbabwe’s own Brendon Denes, a former WBO Africa champion in his own right, is a likely feature on the card,” Mendy said.

Mendy has in the past worked with Denes, promoting and managing him when he took part in a couple of contests in the United Arab Emirates and in the United States.

He said the undercard for the Harare boxing extravaganza will feature other mouthwatering stars such as Harry Simon Jr (18-0), all against opponents to be announced, adding the arrangement is a culmination of over two decades of promoting events on the African continent.

“Let me be quick to point out that we have two primary purposes for the fights, namely to make Africa one of the top fight destinations in the world and to serve as an engine for sports tourism.

“We see the potential of Africa as an incubator of top fighters and the sport of boxing as a driver of sports tourism and as Lion Heart, we are proud to be a pioneer and an early proponent in the space,” he said.