The Sunday Mail
Zimbabwe’S Charles Manyuchi is now ranked as the 23rd best welterweight boxer in the world. According to the latest ratings released by the World Boxing Council, the boxer moved 70 places up the ladder following his World Boxing Council Welterweight International title triumph over Ghana’s Patrick Allotey in March.
Manyuchi, who holds the World Boxing Council Welterweight International title, is the only African among the top 40 welterweight boxers’ list released last week.
The 25-year-old, whose record stands at W14 (KO8)-L2-D1, is now officially recognised as one of the contenders for Floyd “Money” Mayweather’s WBC title.
While a square-up against Mayweather is Manyuchi’s dream, his handlers are realistic in their approach.
Manyuchi is managed by Zambia-based boxing promotions company Oriental Quarries, whose manager Chris Malunga revealed greater plans for the boxer when The Sunday Mail spoke to him on Friday.
“We drafted a programme for Charlie when he joined us and we are happy he has been gradually rising up the ladder.
“He started with the African Boxing Union, rose to the WBC International category and he can now challenge for the world belt.
“We have made contact with our links at the WBC and it is possible for him to challenge Mayweather, but we can’t give a time frame as yet,” said Malunga from his Lusaka base.
Manyuchi rose to continental recognition when, with 10 consecutive wins and one draw, he challenged and won the African Boxing Union title after accounting for Patrice Sue Toke of Burkina Faso in June last year.
He went on to successfully defend the title by beating Isaac Sowah of Ghana two months later.
The ABU is a subsidiary of the WBC, thereby giving African champions an automatic chance to vie for the latter’s belt.
This is the ticket that afforded the Zimbabwean the opportunity to fight another Allotey, on March 25 this year.
The Zimbabwe National Boxing Board of Control has, meanwhile, hailed Manyuchi for continuing to raise the country’s flag high.
“We hope his star continues to shine and that one day he will be able to square off in the ring against the world’s top boxer and write us a piece of unforgettable history.
“Other boxers should take a cue from this and heed our call to go for the elite, recognised titles which are published for the world to see as opposed to some dubious, ‘Nicodemus’ titles for which you are usually told are vacant,” said the boxing board in a statement.
Do you see the Floyd Mayweather v Charles Manyuchi fight happening? Do you believe we are doing enough as a country to support Manyuchi?
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