Masamba gets six-month ban

Malawi Professional Boxing Control Board (MPBCB) has slapped Malawi Defence Force (MDF) boxer Wilson Masamba with a six-month ban for “tarnishing the board’s image” with comments he made on Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) and Galaxy FM.

According to MPBCB president Lonzoe Zimba, the No Pain No Gain Boxing Stable boxer, during interviews, told the two radio stations that the board “is a bunch of ineffective individuals that do nothing to develop the sport in the country.”

Zimba said: “He made very outrageous comments against the board and he needs to be disciplined. We summoned him to a disciplinary meeting on Sunday and we have decided to give him a six-month ban effective this week.”

While confirming the meeting, Masamba said on Wednesday that he did not expect the ban after he had apologised to the board.

“I sincerely apologised for my mistakes as per the board’s request and I thought they had forgiven me. Nevertheless, I will not make more comments as I need to first consult my manager at No Pain No Gain, Craig Rousseau, and my superiors at MDF on the way forward,” he said.

The ban will cost Masamba a title bout against Raston Kaira early next month, an international non-title fight in Zimbabwe on March 26 and a World Boxing Union (WBU) Knockout Malaria contest in June.

However, Masamba, who outpointed Malani Kayuni in a non-title bout last weekend, said he will not stop his preparations for the impending bouts.n