The Sunday Mail
AT first sight he looks like the Mafia boss in some fictional drug cartel, his short pony tail and tattoos completing the look of a really nasty character. This is no mob boss. Neither is he a nasty peice of work. Unless of course you happen to be a prize fighter and are under his charge in the gym.
This is Kim Grittings, a deceptively soft-spoken physical trainer whose main job right now is to work on Charles Manyuchi’s physique as the Zimbabwean prepares to defend his World Boxing Council International Silver welterweight title.
Grittings, who is of Arabian origin and based in Zambia, is the man looking after Manyuchi’s muscles and is confident that the work done so far will see the boxing star resist any onslaught in Singapore on March 25.
Getting him to speak at the Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions gym in Zambia was difficult because, according to Manyuchi, Grittings prefers to let the results of his work do the talking.
“I like to spend most of my time in the gym and, yeah, I am working with Charles, mainly on his physique. You see, he needs to have a devastating punch, one that will send an opponent straight onto the canvas if it lands; so we have to work on his physical fitness,” said Grittings. “It is also important for the boxer to resist punches and we are working on every part of his body so that he becomes stronger.”
Manyuchi will defend his WBC Silver welterweight title for the first time against 23-year-old Qudratillo Abduqaxorov of Uzbekistan at the OCBC Arena in Singapore next month in his first fight on Asian soil.
And the 27-year-old boxer says he is in perfect shape, thanks to the work done by Grittings and the rest of the Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions’ backroom staff.
“Grittings is a cool guy, he has done a lot for me in the past two weeks and I am glad he is part of the team. Every part of my body is strong and I promise to deliver in Asia. But let me remind you, this is not all about Charles, it is about the whole boxing stable because as you have seen, everyone here plays his part,” said Manyuchi.
Despite this being his first fight in Asia and facing a rising boxer who is the WBC Asian champion, Manyuchi is totally unfazed.
“I am the master in the ring, it doesn’t matter that the ring is in Europe, Africa or Asia … where there is a ring, I am the boss. My fans back in Zimbabwe should be rest assured that the WBC Silver welterweight belt is not going anywhere,” he declared.
Manyuchi’s opponent pushed his record to 10-0-0 after his latest victory against Idd Pialari of Tanzania in a non-title fight at the Far East Square in Singapore on February 10.
For Manyuchi, this could simply mean a bigger meal.
