Zvenyika, who defied all odds to beat Paul Weir of the United Kingdom and win the Commonwealth title in 1998, said his time had come to quit active boxing and go into full-time promotion and management.
Zvenyika said he had already secured sponsorship for his testimonial bout, adding that he would also take the time to stage national title fights involving some of the boxers under his Mosquito Boxing Promotions stable.
Based at Stoddart Hall, in Mbare, the stable already boasts a number of pugilists, both male and female. Proceeds from the testimonial bout will go towards Mosquito Boxing Promotions, whose boxers train in a makeshift gym, with no equipment apart from two pairs of old torn gloves.
Zvenyika is the second local boxer, after the legendary Langton “Schoolboy” Tinago, to win the Commonwealth title since the country was admitted to international boxing in 1980. Tinago won three Commonwealth titles at different weight divisions in the 80s, while Zvenyika was the last Zimbabwean to hold a recognised international boxing title.
Since then, the sport has suffered a heavy decline. A new Zimbabwe Boxing Board of Control was recently appointed and given the task of reviving the sport.
Post published in: Sport