Chilemba dealt blow

It all comes to naught. celebrated South Africa-based boxer Isaac ‘Golden Boy’ Chilemba will have to wait longer for his debut home fight as doctors have advised him to undergo a surgery.

The former super middleweight world champion was scheduled to face undefeated Nigerian Mathew ‘Wiseman’ Obinna next Saturday in a Universal Boxing Organisation (UBO) light heavyweight bout at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.

The 36-year-old injured his rib during a sparring session at his Johannesburg gym a fortnight ago, but was optimistic of getting doctors’ nod for the fight.

But in an interview on Thursday, Chilemba said after undergoing a scan earlier in the week, doctors have advised him against going ahead with the fight.

He said: “I am out of the fight as doctors have said I need a surgery on my ribs. It really pains that after all the  preparations and after all that I have put in, it comes to this.

“But I am afraid there is nothing I can do about it other than wait until after the surgery is done and I recover fully.”

Chilemba said he first suffered the injury in 2006 and it has been on-and-off until it recurred after the training session.

He said the solace is that the eight other fights that have been organised by his Chilemba Boxing Promotions stable, will go ahead.

Said the boxer: “I know my fans will be hugely disappointed by this development, but they will still watch me fight there at home once I recover.

“For now, I urge them to support the boxers that will fight on that day. We have lined up two other international title bouts and it will be full of thrills.”

Chilemba said the Universal Boxing Council (UBC) international welterweight title bout featuring another South African-based boxer Dennis Mwale and Tanzanian Mwinyi Mzengela will now headline the event.

Another celebrated Malawi Defence Force female boxer Anisha Basheel will face Chieza Hamakoma from Zimbabwe in an African Boxing Union (ABU) international lightweight bout.

Malawi Professional Boxing Control Board (MPBCB) president Lonzoe ‘Defector’ Zimba said in an interview yesterday that while Chilemba’s bout postponement is a setback, all is not lost.

He said: “We know that people wanted to see Chilemba in action, but the situation is beyond his control as he cannot fight in the state he is.

“The good thing is that there are eight other high-proflle fights, including two international bouts. So, the event will still be a thriller.” Meanwhile, Chilemba is expected to arrive in the country tomorrow to step up preparations for the event alongside the MPBCB