Sports / Local
Thamsanqa Dube hopes to defend heavyweight boxing title
14 Dec 2010 at 06:02hrs | Views
Zimbabwe heavyweight boxing champion Thamsanqa Dube hopes to defend his World Boxing Association (WBA) Pan-African belt early next year after he failed to secure a title fight this year.
The Bulawayo-based boxer, won the WBA title last year in Johannesburg, South Africa, last year after he beat Jack Els in the eighth round at Emperors Palace.
In an interview on Monday, Dube said he is hoping to get a chance to defend the title next year.
"I will defend the title next year. I will try by all means possible to get a fight as I have struggle this year. I need to get a fight before it is too late. I will get old before I have fulfilled my wishes. There is no sponsorship for the sport in the country," he said.
The heavyweight boxer also revealed that he believes that he could life the world title if he got the right sponsorship to take part in the sport.
"I know I can get the world title if I can get the sponsorship to fight. I will defend my title and if I win I want to fight for the International Boxing Federation title," he said.
Dube has suffered from ring rust as he has been starved of fights since the Els bout except for a fight against veteran Arigoma Chiponda in Ochi City last weekend, which he won on points.
Dube also said that the Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board has tried to secure fights for him but in vain.
"The association has tried to help me get a fight. But the sponsorship is not there that's why I have not defended my title," he said.
In November 2003 in Bulawayo, Dube beat Chiponda with a technical knockout, taking the heavyweight national championship belt.
Dube beat Chiponda three more times in the next year. Dube has only lost once in his professional career, and that was by decision in his first match against Chiponda on the day he turned professional.
On New Year's Day in 2006, Dube knocked out a Zambian heavyweight, Joseph "Ramos" Phiri, in a 12-round contest at the Bulawayo Polytechnic College.
The Bulawayo-based boxer, won the WBA title last year in Johannesburg, South Africa, last year after he beat Jack Els in the eighth round at Emperors Palace.
In an interview on Monday, Dube said he is hoping to get a chance to defend the title next year.
"I will defend the title next year. I will try by all means possible to get a fight as I have struggle this year. I need to get a fight before it is too late. I will get old before I have fulfilled my wishes. There is no sponsorship for the sport in the country," he said.
The heavyweight boxer also revealed that he believes that he could life the world title if he got the right sponsorship to take part in the sport.
"I know I can get the world title if I can get the sponsorship to fight. I will defend my title and if I win I want to fight for the International Boxing Federation title," he said.
Dube has suffered from ring rust as he has been starved of fights since the Els bout except for a fight against veteran Arigoma Chiponda in Ochi City last weekend, which he won on points.
Dube also said that the Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board has tried to secure fights for him but in vain.
"The association has tried to help me get a fight. But the sponsorship is not there that's why I have not defended my title," he said.
In November 2003 in Bulawayo, Dube beat Chiponda with a technical knockout, taking the heavyweight national championship belt.
Dube beat Chiponda three more times in the next year. Dube has only lost once in his professional career, and that was by decision in his first match against Chiponda on the day he turned professional.
On New Year's Day in 2006, Dube knocked out a Zambian heavyweight, Joseph "Ramos" Phiri, in a 12-round contest at the Bulawayo Polytechnic College.
Source - Byo24
