JOURNALISTS who attended yesterday’s Press conference called by Charles Manyuchi’s handlers Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions (OQBP) to give an update on the Zimbabwean boxing superstar’s highly-anticipated World Boxing Council (WBC) silver welterweight voluntary title defence match on October 14, left the event disappointed after the promoters refused to reveal the identity of the boxer’s challenger, amid fears that the fight could turn out to be a damp squib.
BY HENRY MHARA
Most of them left the Sports and Recreation ministry offices, the venue for the Press briefing, with more questions than answers.
With just 10 days before the big bout, set for the Harare International Conference Centre, the journalists had hoped to be updated on the fight.
Instead, the Press conference turned into a façade, as the Zambian-based promoters evaded the question on Manyuchi’s opponent – which is the main fight on the night.
The 26-year-old was initially supposed to face Damien Martin, but the Frenchman withdrew from the fight under unclear circumstances.
OQBP was at the weekend quoted in the media suggesting that they had found a replacement in Colombian Jose Agustin Julio Feria.
But the WBC, on its official website, is yet to confirm the fight – in what could be an indication that the match is no longer a title fight.
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What disappointed most journalists, if not all, is that OQBP, in their invites for the conference, had promised to disclose the name of Manyuchi’s opponent.
The Press conference, which was briefly called off before the journalists were brusquely called back into the room, and was addressed by OQBP operations director Chris Malunga, had virtually nothing new except to echo what is already in the public domain.
Malunga, then tried to pacify the local media by appointing them to what he said was a “Press committee” for the fight.
But when pressed to disclose what the public were more interested in, in particular the person who will fight Manyuchi, Malunga was slippery, raising fears that they had not found a challenger.
“We will issue a statement; don’t ask me any other things. When a fight is put in place, there is plan A and if it goes wrong there is plan B. We put all those in place, all those have contractual obligations and it needs to be exhausted before you come out to say anything. We have to be very cautious so I can’t give any details,” retorted Malunga.
Malunga last week released the fight cards for six supporting acts of the night, but remained mum on the main fight.
Sources yesterday said OQBP don’t want to risk Manyuchi losing the belt in next week’s match so they would pick an easy opponent in a non-title fight.
“It’s no longer a title fight and Malunga wants to announce that at the last minute. He should be open because he might create problems for himself in future if it turns out that way. WBC is a big organisation and it won’t sanction such a big fight in two weeks. It doesn’t operate that way. In any case, there is no serious boxer who would agree to a title fight just two weeks prior. I won’t be surprised if the promoters pick that Tanzanian guy (Samuel Deogratias) to fight Manyuchi as a stop-gap measure, just to make the fight happen,” said a local promoter.
Manyuchi beat Deogratias in a non-title fight in August in preparation for next week’s bout.
Another source said: “They are looking for an eight-round non-title fight here, then go for the rematch in Russia. They have already signed the contract for the rematch. Manyuchi is carrying an injury and the doctors have told him to rest a bit so the promoters don’t want a fight that will stretch for long because they are eyeing a rematch in Russia where they (promoters) will make a killing.”
Manyuchi, who arrived in the country on Sunday from Zambia accompanied by Malunga and his trainer Mike Zulu, said he was ready for the fight.
He has already hinted on a possible rematch with Russian boxer Dmitry Mikhaylenko on November 18.
In August, he posted on his official Facebook page: “Rematch, Russia there I come again.”
