Baba hosts boxing extravaganza

BULAWAYO Amateur Boxing Association (Baba) will hold a boxing extravaganza featuring teams from around the country at Mathonisa Beer Garden in Mpopoma on Saturday. Boxers from Bulawayo’s eight clubs Nketa, Nkulumane, Tshaka, Lobengula, Luveve’s Percy, HQ One Brigade, Sikhulile and Bulawayo West will battle it out in different weight divisions with pugilists from other parts of the country.

According to Baba spokesperson Arvian Mathe, Imbizo High School on the outskirts of the city, Great Zimbabwe University, Harare, Victoria Falls Academy, Gwanda and Team Zimbabwe will converge at Mathonisa for the event.

“We hope our fans will continue to show support by coming in numbers since we have held a number of competitions in the area,” Mathe said.

He also said the tournament is aimed at developing boxing in the country and would be a great opportunity for Team Zimbabwe to prepare for the African Union Sports Council Region Five Games to be held in Angola later this year.

“The tournament is meant to keep local boxers fit. Team Zimbabwe will take this opportunity to prepare for the Region Five Games since there is no mother body to help them prepare.

“As Baba, we decided to give them an opportunity to keep fit and prepare for the regional games.”

The proprietor of Mathonisa Beer Garden, Nobuhle Dube, said she made the venue available for free in addition to a nominal fee paid to Baba to assist in staging the event.

“This is the third time in 2016 that we will be hosting boxing bouts.

‘‘It’s a small contribution towards promoting the sport in Bulawayo,” said Dube — @khumzallen.