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Lovemore Dube Senior Sports Editor
PROFESSIONAL boxing, once a thriving sport, has gone into a lull that has left the Zimbabwe Boxing Board of Control struggling with its rankings list.In the past, the board found itself with up to 20 boxers in one division all of whom would be active. But for now some weight categories go up to four or five years without boxers in that division taking to the ring.

When fights come, local boxers are found ring rusty and the result has tended to be negative, much to the detriment of the image of the local sport.

A number of factors have come into play. Lack of sponsorship and vibrant promoters has affected the sport apart from a dwindling fan base in a sport that in the past attracted fair crowds at Rufaro Stadium and sponsors came on their own.

Another factor that has affected boxing numbers is the compulsory HIV and hepatitis testing.

Gilbert Munetsi, a journalist and board member, said the board was trying the best it could to update boxing lists.

“There has definitely been little action to talk about. We are doing the best we can to ensure we start from somewhere and with increased activity, our rankings will bear a semblance of normalcy. They will be able to give something close to the strength of our boxing ratings,” said Munetsi.

According to rankings released yesterday, there are no boxers in the heavyweight division. Former champion Thamsanqa Dube has not been in action for over three years while the country’s number one according to the influential Boxrec website, Elvis Moyo, is campaigning in South Africa.

Unofficially Moyo and Dube head the heavyweight standings.

In the cruiserweight division, Phillip Striker’s Trevor Mpofu finds himself the only boxer meaning that he can only fight the heavyweights if they opt to come and contest back home. Another scenario would be him fighting light heavies in catchweight competitions or he might have to reduce weight to face light heavyweight champions Wesley Macdade, Noel Mpofu, Chamunorwa Gonorenda and Edmos Takawira.

The consolation for the boxers in this weight division is that at least they can square up with each other while the board tries to get more activities and boxers.

The super middleweight division once dominated by Sipho “Sweet Zuggi” Moyo is vacant. There is former Africa World Boxing Organisation champion Tineyi Maridzo ranked with Keith Karimbika and the two are eagerly awaiting a promoter to put up a fight for them to decide who is the better of the two.

Sadly there is no boxer in the middleweight division where Ambrose Mlilo, Hastings Rasani and Mordicai Donga made names for themselves. It was one of the most popular weight divisions in the country and across the world boxers like Sugar Ray Leonard made it a brand at some stage.

Nicola Mutonhora is the only rated boxer in the junior middleweight where Freddie Chisora and Otis Manyuchi were once champions.
Tawanda Chigwida,  Takudzwa Kuchocha, Silas Mandeya, Farai Master Kachigwada and Martin Tshuma are in the same weight division with WBC International Charles Manyuchi.

One of the country’s most decorated boxers as an amateur with several Youth Games titles Melusi Ngulube could be forced to move to South Africa to find a junior flyweight opponent.

Rankings

HEAVYWEIGHT (86.183+kg)

Vacant title

CRUISERWEIGHT (86.183kg)

Vacant title

Trevor Mpofu

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (79.364kg)

Champion: Wesley Macdade

Noel Mpofu,  Edmos Takawira, Chamunorwa Gonorenda

SUPERMIDDLEWEIGHT (76.364kg)

Vacant title

Keith Karimbika

Tinei Maridzo

MIDDLEWEIGHT (72.575kg)

Vacant title

SUPER WELTERWEIGHT (69.853kg)

Vacant title

Nicola Mutonhora

WELTERWEIGHT (66.678kg)

Vacant title

Tawanda Chigwida

Takudzwa Kuchocha

Silas Mandeya

Farai Master Kachigwada

Martin Tshuma

WBC International/ABU Champion: Charles Manyuchi

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT (63.503kg)

Vacant title

LIGHTWEIGHT (61.235kg)

Vacant title

Dumezweni Ntuliki

SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT (58.967kg)

Vacant title

Female Champion: Monalisa Sibanda

Misheck Kondwani

Richard Muriri

Nkululeko Venganayi

FEATHERWEIGHT (57.153kg)

Vacant title

FEMALE

Vacant title

Diana Makumbe

Patience Mastara

SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT (55.338kg)

Champion: Ronald Tamani

Alfred Kashiri

Besten Mateo

Trymore Musira

BANTAMWEIGHT (53.524kg)

Champion: Tinashe Madziwana

Last Magare

Lovewell Maphosa

Tapiwa Tembo

SUPER FLYWEIGHT (52.163kg)

Vacant title

Alexander Gambinya

FLYWEIGHT (50.802kg)

Vacant title

Anyway Katunga

Shemu Mutasa

LIGHT FLYWEIGHT (48.988kg)

Vacant title

Mululeki Ngulube

STRAWWEIGHT (47.727kg)

Vacant title