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The late Dumisani Mabhena

Sports Reporter
FORMER boxing promoter and soccer players’ advisor Dumisani Mabhena has died.

He was 49.
Family spokesman Fundi Ndlovu said Mabhena succumbed to kidney failure on Thursday morning in Harare.

“He had been unwell for some time. He finally passed away in the early hours of Thursday in Harare where he had gone for dialysis two months ago,” said Ndlovu.

During his time as a boxing promoter, Mabhena worked with Reynolds Inn Blow by Blow Promotions. He worked alongside renowned trainer Phillip Striker and Ezwell Ndlovu on a number of events that were successful and involved top boxers like Ambrose Mlilo, Hastings Rasani, Arigoma Chiponda and former Pan African Heavyweight champion Thamsanqa Dube.

Mabhena’s involvement in football saw him setting up a development side in Bulawayo, Bloem Celtics, which, however, folded at the turn of the millennium. At one time, Mabhena staged football tournaments in Lupane before moving to Bulawayo to try his hand in moving players abroad after establishing links in Cyprus through his ties with former national team players Zenzo Moyo and Musa Mguni.

Mabhena will be buried in Inyathi on Monday.

“A service will be held at Nyaradzo Funeral Parlour on Monday at 8:30AM after which we will travel for burial at his rural home in Inyathi. His body is expected in Bulawayo from Harare tonight (last night),” said Ndlovu.