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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE World Boxing Council (WBC) Women’s Championship Committee has paved the way for the World Boxing Council super-bantamweight interim title holder Kudakwashe Chiwandire’s camp to start negotiations for the gold title against Mexican Yeimi Yamleth Mercado.

Popularly known as Take Money, Chiwandire got a shot at the WBC Gold belt after defeating Mexican challenger Zulina Munoz at the Harare International Conference Centre in October.
Chiwandire won the bill that saw the Government intervening to save the fight and allow the Zimbabwean pugilist to trade leather on the big stage by taking care of the costs for the Munoz bout.

Winning against Munoz lifted Chiwandire’s ratings to sixth out of 168.

The Zimbabwean pugilist, whose stock has been rapidly rising, will now face the world’s number two boxer Mercado once their camps agree on critical issues relating to the WBC gold title.

In a letter dated December 9, 2022, WBC Women’s Championship chairperson Malte Muller-Muchaelis gave Chiwandire and Mercardo’s camps January 13 2023 as the deadline for submission of signed contracts.

As the defending champion and highly ranked boxer heading to the Gold fight, the Mexican has the advantage to call the shots and have the title fight at a venue of their choice.

“On behalf of the WBC Women’s Championship Committee we hereby officially order the WBC Women’s World Super-bantamweight Championship between reigning world champion Yamileth Mercado (Mexico) and Interim World Champion Kudakwashe Chiwandire (Zimbabwe).

World Boxing Federation (WBF)

“We hereby kindly ask you to start free negotiations to find an arrangement regarding the conditions (date, place, purses etc) for this important championship fight. We are looking forward to hearing from you and receiving signed contracts on or before Friday, January 13th, 2023.

“In case you cannot reach an agreement until the date we will call for a purse bid,” reads the WBC letter.

Repeated efforts to get a comment from Delta Force founder Clyde Musonda if they will bid for the gold fight were fruitless.

Hosting Munoz came at a huge cost, but Chiwanndire left the stage all smiles as Deputy Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Tino Machakaire, in his capacity pledged US$20 000 for Chiwandire in addition to the same amount for winning the bout. Zororo Phumulani also pledged a winning bonus of US$1 000 for the pugilist.

Businessman Scott Sakupwanya parted ways with US$32 000 for a bronze sculpture of Mohammed Ali made in 1970 by the late American artist Jesse Richardson, which was donated to Chiwandire and put on auction. The proceeds from the auction went to the boxer.

Deputy Minister Machakaire

After the Munoz bill, Chiwandire went home with a total of US$73 000.

At the beginning of the year, Chiwandire grabbed the prestigious bantamweight interim title on February 26 after defeating Catherine Phiri of Zambia.

The victory saw her automatically become the highest-ranked female boxer in Africa, across all weight categories and the only female boxer currently holding a World Boxing Council title on the African continent.

The milestone also ensured she became the highest-ranked Zimbabwean boxer in the history of boxing in this country.

Chiwandire, now Zimbabwe’s most successful female boxer in terms of the level of titles won, got a recognition of US$15 000 from President Mnangagwa for emerging victorious in Zambia. -@ZililoR