LEISURE SPORT Chris Diamond remembers the Independence Day wrestling bout
THE dawn of Independence in Zimbabwe will always be a special day for Chris “Diamond” Ncube, one of the most respected professional wrestlers in the country. A veteran of over 70 fights, Diamond turned professional at Rufaro Stadium on an entertainment bill that also had Bob Marley and The Wailers.
“I got my first fight at the 1980 Independence Celebrations at Rufaro Stadium against Rubber Chest of Kwekwe. That was on a grand platform graced by world-class people. Even Bob Marley performed that day, the audience was intimidating. Britain was there represented by Royalty in Prince Charles and Lord Soames. I was a nervous wreck. It was my worst wrestling experience,” said Diamond.
From that setback experience before a raucous crowd of over 40 000 people, he went on to establish himself as one of the smartest and most dedicated wrestlers who helped dozens turn pro. His most memorable fight was the fight against welterweight champion John Tait in 1982. It was a non-title contest, which he lost, there were lessons from the fight.
“I learnt a lot from that fight to never under estimate opponents and to fight to my abilities,” said Diamond.
That fight pushed him to learn new moves and put to use tactics learnt from tours with Iron Fist Clive Myres. Some of the hints included improvising with karate manoeuvres that led to him going to Nunzio Saladino’s karate school at the Shaolin jodo run by Nkathazo Murefu.
Ncube who was born in the Midlands in June of 1960 and grew up in Lovemore Majaivana’s and Langton Schoolboy neighbourhood of Mambo, went to Mambo Primary School and Ascot High.
Seeing boxers like Nelson Bosso and Tinago grew the urge in him for grappling sport.
Two of his brothers former All Nations flyweight champion Patrick Flyer and Nelson Playboy chose wrestling.
Diamond got introduced to wrestling in Chinhoyi in 1978 as a sparring partner when his brothers started working there. He started off as a sparring partner. Whenever his brothers had fights in Harare, he would accompany them to watch fights against Australian and European wrestlers. Diamond fought a lot of foreign wrestlers, including the likes of Kid McCoy.
“All Stars Wrestling Promotions in South Africa in 1989 invited me to the 69th anniversary with three wrestlers and four boxers representing Zimbabwe,” Diamond. he won 50 fights and
highlights said
He said of his 70 one of the of his career was hanging u p against Kilimanjaro in a fight against Big Mike at the Large City Hall.
“Previously I had witnessed the late Oliver Tengende try that at Rufaro Stadium against Tar Baby, it did not end well because he was not used to fighting with gloves, we did not want a repeat so we ganged against Kilimanjaro and his friend Phillip Chiyangwa,” said Diamond.
He said in his career he got a lot of support from various quarters.
“There are people like Nkathazo Murefu who helped me to keep fit. At my training place Gwen Karsten allowed me and my friends to train at the basement and the late Cont Mhlanga went a step further and made a wrestling ring for me at Amakhosi,” said the legend.
Diamond said recent years have seen no promoters and sponsors come forward for the sport.
He praised Premier Milling, Dave Wellings, Jim Sanders of Golden Mile in Kwekwe and Jeff Dube of Rampage Ring Promotions for keeping the sport kicking in the 1980s and 90s.
Among wrestlers he fought with and toured Southern Africa were the likes of Flyer, Lucas Sabao, an accomplished wrestler and Ray Silubonde.
He says when they went with All Stars they had Sanderson Nyebai, Nokuthula Tshabangu and Arigoma from boxing.
He is proud of having trained wrestlers like Robbie Kapora, Paul Bad News Ngodzo, The Ripper and Magamula wrestlers who fought WWF stars in the 1990s.
His dream now is to help revive boxing and wrestling in Bulawayo Zimbabwe.
He was forced into retirement in 2002 because of lack of activity.