Lonzoe Zimba in Canada for ringside officials agenda
Malawi Professional Boxing Control Board (MPBCB) has taken to task its international partners including the World Boxing Council for failiing to engage local referees and judges at international level.
MPBCB president, Lonzoe Zimba, is currently attending a World Boxing Council meeting in Ottawa, Canada ahead of the body’s general assembly set for China later this year.
The Canada meeting is aimed at setting agendas to be discussed in China.
Zimba, speaking in a telephone interview confirmed they were surprised that local officials were not being engaged to officiate international title and non-title bouts even in neighbouring countries.
“As far as we are concerned we have highly trained ringside officials that can handle related duties including refereeing and judging at the international level without problems. However, to our surprise they don’t seem to surrendered recognise our officials. The only fights we are able to officiate are when the local stables host international non-title fights,” he said.
Zimba cited Hajison Mkoka, Daudi Chikwanje and former Malawi Boxing Association (Maba) president Jerome Waluza as among officials with credentials to handle ringside duties ranging from match commissioner, time- keeping, refereeing and judging.
“The three and myself we are qualified but we have never been given chance. I have raised our concerns and obviously they will consider us. As I said earlier the meeting here (in Canada) is to help us brainstorm before the general assembly which will be held later,” he said.
Waluza, who was trained by International Boxing Federation (IBF), last officiated an international bout four years ago in Tanzania.
“He is the pride of the nation but now they aren’t inviting him again which is a disadvantage to Malawi,” he said.
Zimba, Chikwanje and Zimba were trained in Zambia by WBC in 2011. The same year Zimba was sent for an advanced course in Las Vegas by the same body. Chikwanje once officiated in Ethiopia.
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