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Charles Manyuchi

Allen Khumalo, Sports Reporter
VETERAN boxer Ambrose Mlilo has come out in defence of Charles Manyuchi after he was pummelled by Qudratillo Abduqaxorov of Uzbekistan in a World Boxing Council welterweight silver title fight in Singapore on Saturday night.

It took just two minutes and 56 seconds for Manyuchi to surrender his title in the bout.

The Uzbek boxer capitalised on Manyuchi’s clowning in the first round to send him tumbling to the canvas twice before the referee stopped the fight.

Mlilo, a former Zimbabwe middleweight boxing champion, said people must not pressurise Manyuchi by talking too much, as he believes he had learnt from his mistakes.

“I just wish people could stop talking and putting unnecessary pressure on Manyuchi because once you get into the ring, it’s different from those watching.

“In every journey there are some potholes here and there, so we just need to move on. This is not the end of the world; Manyuchi must pick himself up and move forward. He will get another chance and I know he will rise again,” said Mlilo.

“I have been there in the ring and I understand the pressure associated with fighting in such competitions. I know every second of the first round in the ring and what I can say is that boxing is not like a penalty in soccer. People tend to use harsh comments but we cannot judge him from that loss.

“All along he has been doing well so let him work on his mistakes. That has always been his (Manyuchi) style of fighting, but Abduqaxorov is a clever guy and he can’t be fooled. I know some say that was a lucky punch that saw Manyuchi losing the match, but that was well calculated,” he said.

After a 15-year stint in boxing, Mlilo retired from the ring in 2004 and he boasts being the youngest Zimbabwe representative at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games at the age of 24.

He is also a former All-Africa Games champion and Zone VI champion.

Mlilo advised Manyuchi not to be overconfident when inside the ring and avoid clowning.

“I once told him that he must be serious when he gets into the ring. He must only relax when he is two steps outside the fighting zone because that’s what let him down.

“When you look at his last match, he started very well by attacking the opponent, but after two or three punches he relaxed and started clowning,” Mlilo said.

Saturday’s defeat saw Manyuchi’s record being dented to 20-3-1.

@khumzallen