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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
SOUTH Africa-based Zimbabwean fighter and former World Boxing Federation (WBA) Africa heavyweight champion Elvis Moyo will temporarily shift training base to Harare this week to promote his title fight against Bernard Adie of Kenya.

Moyo is one of the two Zimbabwean pugilists who will trade leather in two title fights at the Kalakoda Promotions and Kwese Sport boxing bill set for Harare on August 25.

Better known as “Bulawayo Bomber”, Moyo will arrive in Harare today to promote his bill.

Moyo and Harare’s cruiserweight boxer Sting Gonarenda will trade leather in WBF African Championships bouts.

“I will be in Harare on August 14 to promote my fight and I’m really excited about it. Hopefully I will get the people of Zimbabwe rallying behind me and my fellow countrymen. I can’t wait to fight in front of my people and this will be the first time in my career to fight in the comfort of being at home. I wish and want this tournament to be a success so that we continue to attract international sponsors to bankroll our fights. Zimbabwe has talent and I know the guys who will fight will show the continent what we’re made of,” he said.

Moyo returned to the boxing ring with a bang last month after a four-year absence when he knocked out Nigeria’s Akeem Tijani in Namibia.

The Nigerian threw in the towel in the second round as he could not stand Moyo’s punches during a supporting bout held in the coastal city of Swakopmund.

Gonarenda’s cruiserweight title opponent is Kamanji Ramadan of Tanzania.

Seven under card bouts stacked with some of the country’s finest boxers, who include local favourite Tinashe Madziwana, who will face countryman Tapuwa Tembo in a bantamweight bout.

Other Zimbabweans that will be in action are Lawrence Moyo in a light welterweight fight against Malawi’s Wilson Masamba, Felix Vengesayi, who will trade leather against George Otieno in a lightweight bout, and Nicola Mutondara whose international super middleweight bout opponent is Alick Mweda of Malawi.

The other locals that have secured fights in the August 25 bill are the middleweight pair of Freeman Musariri and Liberty Muwahi as well as the welterweight duo of Last Magare and Phisidza Musarire.

Jeremy Bean, Kalakoda Promotions marketing director, said:

“The event is shaping up to be something special. It has been a while since Zimbabwean fans have witnessed a boxing event of this magnitude and the response and excitement is growing daily. Before even staging this competition, discussions are already underway to make this a regular event on the Harare sporting calendar.”

Dubbed “Harare Geddon”, the event falls within the Friday Fight Night Pan African boxing series, a dynamic collaboration between Kalakoda Promotions and Kwesé Sport, which is shaking up the status quo of boxing across the continent. Last Friday, they staged a tournament in Swakopmund.

The organisers said the event will be broadcast in 38 countries, with a viewership of approximately 200 million on Kwese Sports 1, Kwese Free Sports, Soweto TV (Channel 251) and streamed globally on the Kwese mobile app.

Local broadcaster ZBC will also broadcast the fights.

August 25 bouts

Title fights

Vacant WBF Africa Heavyweight Title: Elvis Moyo (Zimbabwe) v Bernard Adie (Kenya), Vacant WBF Africa Cruiserweight Title: Sting Gonorenda (Zimbabwe) v Kamanji Ramadan (Tanzania)

International bouts

Cruiserweight: Ilunga Makabu Jr (DRC) v Mussa Ajibu (Malawi). Welterweight: Wilson Masamba (Malawi) v Lawrence Moyo (Zimbabwe). Lightweight: Felix Vengenayi (Zimbabwe) v George Otieno (Kenya), super middleweight: Nicola Mutondara (Zimbabwe) v Alick Mweda (Malawi),

Local bouts

Bantamweight: Tinashe Madziwana (Zimbabwe) v Tapua Tembo (Zimbabwe). Middleweight: Freeman Musariri (Zimbabwe) v Liberty Muwahi (Zimbabwe), Light welterweight: Last Magare (Zimbabwe) v Phisidza Musarire (Zimbabwe).

@ZililoR