CHARLES Manyuchi’s challenger for the WABA and WBF belts Mohammed Sebyala arrived in the country yesterday afternoon ahead of the bout in Masvingo this weekend.
The Ugandan touched down at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport together with his manager and promoter Mugayi Arum and immediately declared war on the local superstar.
“Since the fight was announced about a year and half ago, we didn’t break camp,” Arum said.
“We have been training and preparing for this fight all this while. We are not here as tourists, but to grab the belts at stake. Charles must watch out because we mean serious business.”
This tournament, organised and promoted by the Charles Manyuchi Boxing Academy (CMBA), was initially scheduled for March last year, but failed to take place because of the coronavirus pandemic.
His latest attempt to defend the titles had also been thrown in turmoil a fortnight ago after government omitted boxing from the list of sport codes that had been allowed to resume.
However, the fight was on Thursday given special exemption, giving Manyuchi a huge relief as he was set to be stripped off of the two belts.
Manyuchi, a former WBC silver welterweight champion, has also been preparing hard for this fight since last year and said he would retire from the sport if he lost.
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He will be returning to the ring for the first time since flooring Argentinian Diego Diaz Gallardo in Harare two years ago to land the WBF belt.
The 30-year-old has been trying hard to work his way back to the top since losing his WBC silver welterweight championship title in March 2017.
Beating Sebyala is part of the plan.
He knows that a defeat against the Ugandan would put a significant dent on his ambitions.
Manyuchi and Sebyala’s fight will be the main event in the boxing tournament, dubbed the “Duel of the Doom”, which is set for Flamboyant Hotel on Saturday night.
Highly-rated Evans Husavihwevhu, of CMBA, and Malawian Robert Kachiza will be the supporting act to the main fight when they clash for the vacant WABA All Africa lightweight title.
Kachiza replaced his countryman Bison Gwayani who pulled out of the fight.
There will also be another title fight on the night when another CMBA prodigy, Tinashe Majoni, clashes with Tanzanian Yusouf Ali for a WBF crown.
No fans will be allowed at the venue of the fight.
