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Ricky Zililo
THE Zimbabwe Amateur Boxing Association (Zaba) has selected Bulawayo to play host to the national team’s Africa Games final selection competition next month.Boxers from the country’s 10 provinces will trade leather for five Africa Games slots at Manor Hotel on May 16.

Mpiliso Moyo, the national team coach said because of the few slots given to them by the Sport and Recreation Commission, they will only be taking along male boxers to September’s Africa Games set for Congo Brazzaville.

“We’ve been monitoring progress of boxers and because of the number required by the SRC, we will be taking only male boxers. This has also been influenced by the fact that our women need time to develop into quality boxers who can represent the country at international competitions,” said Moyo.

“To afford ourselves time to adequately prepare, we will select our boxers from the flyweight, welterweight and bantamweight divisions. It’s in these three divisions where the country’s prospects for medals are.”

Welterweight pugilists that caught Moyo’s attention include Hwange’s Future Maziya, Brighton Masiyambumbi of Bulawayo’s Nketa Boxing Club, and Midlands duo of Prince Carter and Liberty Muneri.

Trade Nkomozabo of Masvingo who won gold at the Zimbabwe National Youth Games and fights in the flyweight division has a chance to be selected for Team Zimbabwe alongside Lobengula’s Wiseman Tshuma.

Zaba has also been monitoring progress of Brendon Dennis of Mashonaland East as well as Zimbabwe National Army’s Ndodana Moyo and Prosper Shumba.

A number of Bulawayo based pugilists expected at the national team selection tournament are Lancelot Moyo, Edson Mapeku, Shadreck Machaya, Godknows Sithole and Samson Masiyambumbi and Assurance Moyo.

The Bulawayo Amateur Boxing Association’s vice-chairman Ezwell Ndlovu challenged City of Kings pugilists to up their game and put a strong challenge for places in the national team.

“As Baba we’re happy that the selection process is coming to Bulawayo which is an opportunity for our boxers to impress national team coaches. The ball is in our boxers’ court and I’m sure they’re going to do well since we’ve been conducting monthly tournaments that have kept them in shape,” said Ndlovu.