Chiotcha, Masamba face off today

Chimwemwe ‘Black Rhino’ Chiotcha and Limbani Masamba are still playing mind games in the build-up to their highly billed showdown tomorrow.

Today, they come face-to-face at Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe for a weigh-in ceremony.

The fight has been boosted by corporate support from Seven Eleven and Tile & Tap.

Government, through the Sports Ministry, has also chipped in by allowing the promoters to pay K50 000 (US$1200 for the use of the Kaumuzu Institute for Sports instead of the normal K100 000 (US$239) fee.

According to organisers of the fight, New Dawn Boxing Promotions, Seven Eleven and Tiles & Tap have injected financial support into the fight.

The promoters have organised parades in the townships of Lilongwe to market the sponsors and the fight.

“We are grateful to the two companies for their support and we plan to storm the townships with the two boxers just to sell their brands. With the corporate support, we can go far in improving the sport in the country,” said the promoting agency’s director Michael Chimaliza.

“This is a major fight and we are storming Lilongwe townships to show the boxers to the people in an open executive car. We want to add pomp, expressing our seriousness to promote boxing in the country,” he said.

Former Malawi Boxing Association (Maba) president Lada Chimbalanga, who is hosting Chiotcha and his camp at his Sun Village Hotel in Liwonde, has pledged K20 000 (US$48) to him if he wins tomorrow and Chiotcha has promised not to disappoint.

“Like I said, Limbani [Masamba] is not a fighter. He is a kid and I am cutting his boxing career short on Sunday,” said the Malawi Defence Force soldier.

Masamba said he is not afraid of names and will prove that to Chiotcha on Sunday.

“My mission is to finish off all MDF boxers. I am not afraid of names. Kayuni (Osgood) was equally talkative, but I shut him up. Now it is Chiotcha’s turn. Achimina ameneyu musiyeni,” said Masamba who is being aided by his elder brother John as a sparring partner.

Chiotcha has engaged the services of retired lieutenant colonel Godfrey Jalare and boxers Chikondi Mkawa and George Kandulo in preparation for tomorrow’s fight.