FORMER World Boxing Organisation (WBO), Africa Super Middleweight champion Tineyi Maridzo will be the headline act at the Independence Solidarity Boxing tournament set for Harare next month.
SAKHELENI NXUMALO
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
Maridzo is set to take on South Africa’s Renson Hobyani in a 10 – round super middleweight elimination fight for the vacant African Boxing Union super middle weight title.
Lack of sponsorship led to Maridzo being stripped of the WBO belt in 2012.
He had won the title in July 2010 after a knockout victory over South African Michael Schultz in 87sec. Another former continental champion who will be in action on the night is former Pan-African World Boxing Association heavyweight champion Thamsanqa Dube who will trade leather with youthful challenger Trevor Mpofu in a six–round elimination fight.
The winner between Dube and Mpofu will face World Boxing Federation African heavyweight champion Elvis Moyo in June.
Bill promoter Clyde Musonda told Southern Eye that all was set for the 25 April extravaganza and what is left is for him to present to the Zimbabwe National Boxing Control Board signed contracts from fighters billed to take part.
“I will pass through Bulawayo on Sunday on my way to Namibia and I will come with the contracts for Dube and Mpofu to sign.
“I will proceed to Namibia and then Botswana and when I come back, I will present the signed contracts to the board,” Musonda said.
International match-ups will dominate the bill with Zimbabwean female boxer Nicola Mutonhora taking on Gomotsang Gaasite from Botswana in an eight-round welterweight encounter.
Organisers had to shelve another international female boxing match between Zimbabwe’s Monalisa Sibanda and Kenyan Evelyn Odero after Sibanda said she had other commitments.
Another international fight on the day would be the welterweight fight between Zimbabwe’s Lawrence Moyo who will fight Namibian Mike Shonena over six rounds.