Mpofu ready to take on Thamsanqa Dube
dube

Thamsanqa Dube

Ricky Zililo  Senior Sports Reporter
UNHERALDED Trevor Mpofu, 22, of Makokoba has responded to former Pan African World Boxing Association heavyweight champion Thamsanqa Dube’s call for a challenger and said he is ready to trade leather with Zimbabwe’s most feared pugilist.Since 2011, Dube has failed to get a challenger, getting promises along the way only for his opponents to pull out in the last minute.

Just where does the 22-year-old boxer who stands at 1.98m, weighing just above 90kgs, get the guts to challenge Dube, better known as the “Baby Elephant” or “The Tanker” because of his big stature and powerful jabs?

“After reading Chronicle on Monday where there was a story about Thamsanqa Dube saying he’s eager for a fight, I said to myself that this guy is insulting boxing. Surely after three years he can’t call himself a Zimbabwean champion. He has been holding onto that belt for a long time and he’s way past his sell by date and I’ll get it from him in a way that will send shivers in boxing not only in Zimbabwe but the world,” said Mpofu.

He sees his fight against Dube as a springboard for his boxing career.

The confident towering boxer believes that he will be the biblical David when taking on Dube. He went on to poke fun at Dube saying he was not tough but was “full of fat and overweight.”

“I’m not afraid of him and I’m going to send him to early retirement. It won’t be weight that will be fighting but it will be me against Thamu. Who said because I look like I weigh three times less than Dube in terms of physical appearance I won’t floor him? If David brought down Goliath as a young person what then can stop me from embarrassing Thamsanqa?” Mpofu quipped.

It remains to be seen whether he will be able to let his hands do the talking when a sponsor to fund his fight with Dube is found.

“The onus is on promoters to set up a fight for us preferably in June because I need to put on a few kilos so that I get to 96kgs and also get one fight in April that I’ll use to prepare for the big bill. Whoever will sponsor the fight I assure them that I’ll give them the value for their investment because I know Thamsanqa in and out as I’ve done sparring sessions with him before. The last time we trained together was in 2013 when he was preparing for a fight that never materialised.”

Dube last fought in June 2011 when he was floored by Flo Simba in a non-title contest.

Dube, a protégé of renowned trainer Philip “Striker” Ndlovu, has formed his stable in Hyde Park with the former blessing the move which he believes is good for the sport.

“I train Mpofu but Dube is my former boxer as I share lots of memories with him. The latest being that embarrassing loss to Flo Simba on June 3, 2011. Now that he has his own club, I see no reason why I shouldn’t train Mpofu so that he’s ready for the fight. I never pushed Mpofu to challenge Dube, he did so on his own,” said Ndlovu.

Mpofu said he confirmed that the City Hall will be available on June 27 and wants a promoter to facilitate their fight on the day.

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