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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

FORMER Pan-African heavyweight boxing champion Thamsanqa Dube left Bulawayo for a week-long training camp in South Africa, to prepare for a continental bout set for Uganda.

Dube will make a comeback on November 29, trading leather with Shafik Kiwanuka at Kampala’s Lugogo Cricket Oval.

The Pumula bred boxer, known as “The Baby Elephant” was forced to reduce his training stint in South Africa to a week from two weeks after failing to get adequate funding.

“Thamu is expected in Johannesburg tomorrow (today) morning where he’ll do a number of sparring sessions with a number of guys. We’ve spoken to a couple of gyms in Johannesburg and Pretoria and that is where he’ll do sparring sessions with heavyweight fighters.

“Because we couldn’t reach the sponsorship target we had hoped for, he will be staying for a week, returning on November 22 before flying to Uganda via Harare. We’re grateful to Instant Solutions and Consultancy, Revival Motorways, Davis Granite, Team Ace Management and Pro Active Fitness Gym who have been supportive towards his preparations,” said Jarmaine Chapfiwa, spokesperson for True Ndachi Boxing Promotions.

Dube who last fought in June 2011, losing to South African Flo Simba in a non-title contest, is desperately trying to get a fight to re-launch his career. True Ndachi Boxing Promotions, a stable that has taken in the former continental heavyweight champion is hopeful that Dube will beat Kiwanuka.

The Bulawayo-based boxer won the Pan-African heavyweight title in 2009 in Johannesburg, South Africa, when he beat Jack Els in the eighth round.

Dube has 15 career fights, winning an incredible 12 matches, losing three to Simba and Zambian boxers Francis Zulu and Joseph Chingangu.

Kiwanuka turned professional at the beginning of this year and has fought twice, winning both. — @ZililoR.