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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE National Boxing Wrestling and Control Board (ZNBWCB) chief executive officer Lawrance Zimbudzana has expressed satisfaction with the preparations ahead of the impending two international boxing events in Victoria Falls.

ZNBWCB is due to host the World Boxing Council (WBC) All-Africa Officials Training and Grading Workshop and the Africa Boxing Union (ABU) gathering in Victoria Falls from July 25-27 and July 26-27, respectively.

The online registration platform was opened on June 1 and by July 13, 106 delegates had registered for the events.

Confirmed delegates so far are drawn from 17 countries, South Africa, Botswana, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Namibia, Cameron, Egypt, Zambia, Zimbabwe, DRC, Ghana, Mali, USA, Morocco and Ireland.

According to Zimbudzana, hosting the workshop is an initiative aligned to the ZNBCWB vision of being an ‘excelling and inclusive combat sport nation by 2030’.

“We are happy with the preparations. Delegations have started arriving and as of now l can safely say we are good to go. These two events are important in the sense that they are set to transform the state of boxing in the country,” said Zimbudzana.

Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) intercontinental lightweight champion Monalisa ‘‘Queen of the Jungle’’ Sibanda is set to defend her title against Ugandan Small Valente Aciro on July 27 in Victoria Falls.

The first Zimbabwean female boxer to turn pro was supposed to defend her belt in 2020 after winning the crown in 2019 against Kenyan Joyce Awino.

However, the bout was repeatedly deferred due to the Covid-19 pandemic in the past two years when sport, especially contact sport, was effectively on suspension.

Zimbudzana said six more professional bouts and four amateur fights have been organised.

-@innocentskizoe