Monalisa Sibanda Signs One-Year Deal With Glove Management in Major Career Boost

Zimbabwean female boxer Monalisa Sibanda has taken a major step towards reviving her professional boxing career after signing a one-year contract with London-based boxing management company Glove Management. The agreement comes after more than a year without a professional fight, despite Sibanda remaining committed to training throughout the period. The deal gives the Zimbabwean boxer a new opportunity to reconnect with the international boxing circuit and pursue bigger fights. Sibanda has described the agreement as a milestone that could transform the direction of her career. As Zimbabwe’s first licensed female professional boxer, her return to the international stage could also add another important chapter to her trailblazing career.

The contract was signed by Sibanda and Glove Management manager Faizal Ebrahim. The agreement formally brings the Zimbabwean boxer under the management of a company that represents professional fighters and works to connect boxing talent with opportunities in the United Kingdom and other international markets. For Sibanda, the partnership addresses a key challenge that has affected her career during her lengthy period without competition. Securing professional management can help a boxer navigate opportunities involving promoters, fight cards and potential opponents. The one-year agreement therefore represents more than a new business relationship, as it could provide Sibanda with a structured route back into active competition.

Sibanda expressed excitement after completing the agreement and said she believes the partnership can change her career. She emphasised her belief that anything is possible and described the contract as a significant milestone. Her comments reflect the determination she has maintained during a period in which she has not been able to add another professional fight to her record. Instead of stepping away from boxing, she has continued training and keeping the sport at the centre of her daily discipline. That commitment could be important as she prepares for a return to competitive action.

Sibanda’s most recent professional fight came in August 2025, when she faced Malawian boxer Ruth Chisale. Sibanda lost the contest by unanimous points decision, meaning the judges awarded the fight to Chisale after the scheduled bout went to the scorecards. Since that defeat, Sibanda has remained in training even though she has not had another professional contest. The extended period away from competition makes her new management agreement particularly significant. Her next fight will provide an opportunity to translate the work she has done in training into a competitive return to the ring.

The period of inactivity has not removed boxing from Sibanda’s life. She has continued to train, maintaining the physical and mental discipline required by professional boxing. Regular training can help a fighter preserve conditioning, technique and familiarity with the demands of the sport, although competition itself presents challenges that training cannot completely reproduce. Sibanda will therefore need to make the transition from preparation back to professional competition when an appropriate fight is arranged. Her continued commitment during the inactive period gives her a foundation from which to begin that process.

Sibanda’s career carries particular significance in Zimbabwean boxing because she became the country’s first licensed female professional boxer. That achievement made her a pioneer at a time when female boxers were working to establish greater recognition within the sport. Her professional journey has therefore involved more than her own ambitions inside the ring. Each stage of her career has contributed to the visibility of women’s professional boxing in Zimbabwe. A successful return under international management could further strengthen her position as one of the country’s notable female boxing figures.

Glove Management is based in London and operates as a professional boxing management and fighter representation company. According to Faizal Ebrahim, the organisation helps guide the careers of professional boxers while connecting talent, particularly fighters from Africa, with major platforms and fight cards in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world. That international focus could be important for Sibanda as she seeks opportunities beyond the local and regional boxing circuit. International management can help fighters gain access to networks that may otherwise be difficult to reach independently. For an experienced boxer looking to revive her career, those connections can become an important part of securing meaningful fights.

The company also manages emerging fighters and champions, including female boxers such as Celina “Pretty Assassin” and female heavyweight Blessing “Lady B” Chukwuede. Chukwuede is an undefeated Nigerian professional boxer and soldier who has a 7-0 record. Her inclusion in the stable illustrates the company’s involvement with female boxing talent from Africa. Glove Management also works around international debuts, title opportunities and promotional partnerships for fighters competing under major boxing banners and streaming platforms. These areas of management are particularly relevant to a boxer like Sibanda, whose stated ambition is to regain momentum and pursue higher-level opportunities.

Sibanda believes the partnership could provide the international connection she has been seeking. She said the company manages top international boxers and described signing with Glove Management as the link she needed to revive her career. Her comments suggest that access to professional networks and opportunities is a central reason she sees the agreement as an important development. A management contract does not guarantee a particular opponent, title opportunity or fight date, however. Those outcomes will depend on negotiations, matchmaking, promotional arrangements and Sibanda’s performance when she returns to competition.

The next stage of Sibanda’s career will therefore be closely connected to how the new partnership develops. After more than a year without a fight, securing a return bout will be an important immediate objective. From there, the quality and frequency of her fights could determine how quickly she regains competitive momentum. Her experience as a professional boxer and her continued training provide a base for that return, but the demands of a competitive bout remain different from those of preparation. Sibanda’s progress will ultimately be measured inside the ring as she works to rebuild her activity and pursue stronger opportunities.

The agreement also carries significance for women’s boxing in Zimbabwe. Sibanda has already broken new ground as the country’s first licensed female professional boxer, and her continued participation keeps attention on the development of female fighters. International representation could expose her to opponents, promoters and audiences outside Zimbabwe. It could also demonstrate the possibilities available to African female boxers seeking to build professional careers in an increasingly connected boxing market. While the outcome of the partnership remains uncertain, the signing creates a new opportunity for Sibanda to compete for the level of recognition she believes her career can achieve.

Monalisa Sibanda’s one-year contract with Glove Management marks an important turning point after a long period away from professional competition. Her last fight, against Ruth Chisale in August 2025, ended in a unanimous points decision defeat, but Sibanda has continued training since then. The new agreement with a London-based management company gives her a pathway towards renewed activity and potentially greater international exposure. As Zimbabwe’s first licensed female professional boxer, Sibanda has already established a place in the country’s boxing history, and this partnership gives her an opportunity to build on that legacy. Her immediate challenge will be turning the promise of the new contract into regular fights, stronger opportunities and a successful return to the professional boxing ring.