19 May 2011
Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions (OQBP) has a shortfall of K83 million of the required K310 million to successfully stage next weekend’s international non-title boxing bill slated for the National Sports Development Centre (NASDEC) in Lusaka.
OQBP operations manager, Christopher Malunga said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that his stable had managed to raise K227 million and was hopeful that the deficit would be met before the tournament next Saturday.
Malunga named some of the companies that had helped raise the money at hand as Woodlands Lodge, Joy FM, Zambezi Airlines, Madmax Autospares, Kadula contractors, Chamb Investments, Jimakape Investments, Radio Phoenix, Avis Car Hire, Bottlers Pub and main sponsors – Oriental Quarries.
“We have raised about K227 million out of the K310 million budget. As I speak, one more company has joined the bandwagon, so we now have a deficit of K83 million. I am very hopeful the shortfall will be met before the tournament next Saturday, as you are aware we have less than two weeks before the tournament,” Malunga said.
The May 28 tournament would see the International Boxing Organisation (IBO) intercontinental bantamweight champion, Kennedy Kanyantas, who is also 2002 Commonwealth Games men’s flyweight division gold medalist, taking on Tinashe Madziwam of Zimbabwe in a 10-round bout main fight.
The bill will also see the inclusion of newly-turned professional female boxer, Catherine Phiri, of OQBP, slugging it out with another newcomer to the ranks, Bridget Lukonde from African Directions in the bantamweight category.
Former Africa Boxing Union (ABU) welterweight champion, Pythias Kambembe will exchange punches with Charles Misauso of Malawi while Gibon Kamota will fight Jabson Adams of Malawi in a bantamweight bout.
The rest of the fights would be between Stephen Chungu and Kalenga Mukuni. Abias Silupungwe takes on Jonathan Mwila of Mitanda Boxing Promotion and Dave Mutale squares it off against Jama Mosamud.
AllAfrica – All the Time