Misanjo replaces Mwenda for Namibia bout

Malawi Professional Boxing Control Board (MPBCB) named Charles Misanjo as last-minute replacement for Malawi Defence Force (MDF) pugilist Alick Mwenda for last evening’s Hero’s Day Boxing Bonanza in Namibia.

MPBCB president Lonzoe Zimba yesterday argued the development followed MDF’s delay to clear Mwenda for the international non-title bout, but one of MDF’s sports officials Peter Genti claims the clearance was almost ready when they heard news of his replacement.

“Of course, we sent a request letter to the MDF for his release a bit late after organizers of the bouts delayed to send us Mwenda’s contract.

“However, we could not bank on Mwenda as the MDF had not yet given us the green-light up to even a day before the bout,” Zimba said.

According to Zimba, Mwenda was supposed to leave the country along with Aubrey Masamba and Felix Mwamaso for the boxing fiesta in Namibia last week.

Nevertheless, Genti said the MDF was in the process of clearing the boxer and they were surprised to note that all of a sudden Misanjo has taken Mwenda’s place.

“This news came as a surprise to us because everything was almost ready and Mwenda was set to make the trip. We do not know what prompted the MPBCB to make the change,” Genti said.

Mwenda told The Nation yesterday that he was disappointed that he has been training for the bout in vain for over a month.

Misanjo who weighs 69 kilogrammes was expected to increase   his weight by a kilogramme to fight in the middleweight category and has been considered as Mwenda’s substitute because he was already on his way to Namibia to be a corner-man for Wilson Masamba, who was to engage Albinus Felesianu in an International Boxing Federation (IBF) Continental Africa Lightweight bout.