Sports / Other
Zimbabwe female boxer on World Title Shot
17 Feb 2012 at 17:59hrs | Views
ZIMBABWE'S top female boxer Monalisa Sibanda is bracing for a dream showdown against Zambia's Esther Phiri for the unification title fight at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre tonight.
Phiri, a Zambian boxing icon is putting both her Women International Boxing Association and Women International Boxing Organisation light welterweight belts on the line.
This is the first time that Sibanda is taking a crack at a world title and she is relishing the opportunity to be the first Zimbabwean to land a world boxing title.
The match has been postponed thrice before but is now set to get underway as the main bout while Zambia's Francis Zulu trades leather with Ngandu Mohamed of the Democratic Republic of Congo in one of the supporting fights.
Other bouts to be fought on the undercard include Anos Temfuma taking on Masozi Kamanga in a cruiserweight non-title bout while Donald Kampamba will face Sam Chisanga in a light heavyweight title fight.
Nelson Banda takes on Zimbabwe's Misheck Kondwani in a lightweight international, with Tom Chisenga slugging it out with Pathias Chisenga in a flyweight bout.
Sibanda could have taken on Phiri in December last year in East London, South Africa but the bout was deferred to January 15 in Ndola this year but was again called off after the promoters failed to raise 600 million kwacha to host the show.
The Zimbabwean boxer left for Lusaka by road on Tuesday in the company of her promoter Boris Zneider of Bitcom Black Fists Boxing Promotion and trainer Clyde Musonda.
Sibanda's husband, Tinofirei Simon also will also be at the ring side.
The two boxers have fought twice before in 2005 with Sibanda winning both matches.
Back then Phiri was just beginning her journey as a top female professional boxer under trainer Antony Mwamba of Exodus Promotions.
Over the years, Phiri has carved a name as she lifted four-world titles while Sibanda took a sabbatical from the square ring when she got married.
The Zimbabwean boxer last stepped into the ring in 2009 in a knock out of South Africa's Queen Tshabalala before taking leave from the square ring.
Phiri boasts of 12 professional fights, laced with four knock out wins, two draws and one defeat.
Yesterday, Sibanda told Muvi TV Sports in Lusaka that she stood a chance against Phiri who is her former sparring partner.
"I am confident that I will win this fight, I have prepared enough.
"I respect the champion very much, but I will give her a good fight," Sibanda said.
Phiri, a Zambian boxing icon is putting both her Women International Boxing Association and Women International Boxing Organisation light welterweight belts on the line.
This is the first time that Sibanda is taking a crack at a world title and she is relishing the opportunity to be the first Zimbabwean to land a world boxing title.
The match has been postponed thrice before but is now set to get underway as the main bout while Zambia's Francis Zulu trades leather with Ngandu Mohamed of the Democratic Republic of Congo in one of the supporting fights.
Other bouts to be fought on the undercard include Anos Temfuma taking on Masozi Kamanga in a cruiserweight non-title bout while Donald Kampamba will face Sam Chisanga in a light heavyweight title fight.
Nelson Banda takes on Zimbabwe's Misheck Kondwani in a lightweight international, with Tom Chisenga slugging it out with Pathias Chisenga in a flyweight bout.
Sibanda could have taken on Phiri in December last year in East London, South Africa but the bout was deferred to January 15 in Ndola this year but was again called off after the promoters failed to raise 600 million kwacha to host the show.
The Zimbabwean boxer left for Lusaka by road on Tuesday in the company of her promoter Boris Zneider of Bitcom Black Fists Boxing Promotion and trainer Clyde Musonda.
The two boxers have fought twice before in 2005 with Sibanda winning both matches.
Back then Phiri was just beginning her journey as a top female professional boxer under trainer Antony Mwamba of Exodus Promotions.
Over the years, Phiri has carved a name as she lifted four-world titles while Sibanda took a sabbatical from the square ring when she got married.
The Zimbabwean boxer last stepped into the ring in 2009 in a knock out of South Africa's Queen Tshabalala before taking leave from the square ring.
Phiri boasts of 12 professional fights, laced with four knock out wins, two draws and one defeat.
Yesterday, Sibanda told Muvi TV Sports in Lusaka that she stood a chance against Phiri who is her former sparring partner.
"I am confident that I will win this fight, I have prepared enough.
"I respect the champion very much, but I will give her a good fight," Sibanda said.
Source - TH
