Malawi boxing board backs Zambian promoter
Malawi Professional Boxing Control Board (MPBCB) has backed its decision to select a Zambian promoter at the expense of locals ahead of the forthcoming Africa Boxing Union (ABU) welterweight title fight.
The 12-round fight will involve Congolese boxer, Mbiya Nkaku and Malawian Limbani Masamba.
This will be the first time for Malawi to host an ABU fight to be staged on the sidelines of World Boxing Council (WBC) Convention to run from May 11 to 14 in Lilongwe.
Zambian Chris Malunga and his stable, Oriental Boxing Quarries Boxing Promotions, were chosen as the main promoters for the bill with local stables, No Pain No Gain Boxing Promotions and Alufandika Boxing Promotions, acting as subsidiary promoters.
MPBCB President, Lonzoe Zimba, said Malunga was quick to react when Malawi won its bid to host the WBC convention in China last year.
“It is mandatory that whenever there is a WBC convention, you need to stage either a WBC or ABU title fight. When we won the bid, Malunga and his stable offered to assist and we named him as the main promoter,” he said.
Zimba said the local stakeholders stand to benefit from Malunga’s experience. Malunga said he wanted to help in the development of Malawi boxing.
“We will come out with detailed plans and budget very soon. However, there are a number of areas that Malawi must improve to woo the corporate world. We will soon highlight this and showcase how boxing should be run,” he said in a telephone interview from Lusaka, Zambia on Monday.
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