Chilemba’s dream home fight on cards

Celebrated South Africa-based Malawian boxer Isaac ‘Golden Boy’ Chilemba’s wish to fight on home soil before retirement could materialise as a local boxing stable is arranging a bout against veteran Tanzanian boxer Karim Mandonga.

The former super middleweight world champion’s efforts to fight in Malawi before hanging up his gloves have twice hit a snag in the past.

But in an interview yesterday from his Johhanesburg base, the 37-year-old said Youth Boxing Promotions, owned by a fellow boxer Salim Chazama, is arranging the bout.

Said Chilemba: “It always haunts me that since turning professional almost two decades ago, I have never fought there at home.

“Previously, I tried to arrange bouts twice, but things couldn’t work out due to some logistical challenges. Of course, there is nothing concrete yet, but I am hoping that this time things will work out.

“I am in the twilight of my career and I will be the happiest man to fight at home before I take one final bow because that’s one thing I owe my Malawian fans.”

On his retirement prospects after changing his mind twice,  he said: “I am finding it hard this time around to call it a day. Three years ago it was easy, I just stopped training.

“Now, after putting myself through the fight in Russia, my ego has been ignited and as much as I think it’s good just to leave it, part of me still craves that feeling of fighting.

“So, I think it will take me a while to make a complete decision, therefore, I will just give myself some time and take it from there. The fight we are working on with Salim will get me back in the ring, that is if the fight, the money and everything else looks good, then I might go for it.”

Chazama confirmed in a separate interview that he is working to organise the fight.

He said: “Chilemba is a former world champion, probably Malawi’s greatest of all time and it just wouldn’t be good for him to retire without fighting at home.

“So, yes, I’m trying to put up that fight and if not, then we could arrange that he should face Alick Mwenda, whom he fought and lost to when he was an amateur before he left for South Africa.”

Chilemba, whose last fight was a second round knockout defeat to Russian Alexei Papin in a scheduled eight-round cruiserweight bout in May this year, boasts 27 wins, 10 losses and three draws.

On the other hand, Mandonga has won six, lost four and drawn three.