Boxing title bouts start July
Malawi Professional Boxing Control Board (MPBCB) will start sanctioning its title bouts in July.
According to the body’s president Lonzoe Zimba, once such bouts begin, all professional boxers such as Osgood Kayuni and Chimwemwe Chiotcha who also fight under the African Boxing Union (ABU), will not be featured in fights sanctioned by Malawi Boxing Association (Maba) as is the case at present.
Zimba said they were previously failing to roll out the title bouts because they did not have their own professional boxing belts.
“But now everything is in order following confirmation that the 10 belts we purchased at K3.5 million in South Africa will be arriving in the country within two weeks.” he said.
He added that the Malawi National Sports Council has already accepted their request for a duty waiver on the equipment once it arrives at the border.
“We are set to start sanctioning professional title bouts early July and almost 90 percent of our preparations for such activities are complete.
“We will launch such bouts with a title match between local boxers and a supporting encounter involving local and foreign pugilists. At present, we are scrutinising records of local high profile boxers to see which individuals will be the first to get into the ring,” he said.
The council recently approved the delinking of MPBCB from Maba following recommendation from the World Boxing Council (WBC), that professional boxing should not be under Maba, which is affiliated to the International Amateur Boxing Associations (Aiba).
