The Sunday Mail
Gilbert Munetsi recently in ZAMBIA
PICTURE this: On the September night that Floyd Mayweather scored his 49th straight victory (this time against Marcos Rene Maidana) at the MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas, he hosted an entourage of 150 close friends and family members to a social stint out.
Within a couple of hours, he had picked up a bill of $24 000 for chicken wings and alcoholic beverages consumed.
For the world’s highest paid athlete who earns $900 000 per minute and $32 million for a full bout that lasts just 36 minutes, this could be considered chicken change.
Pity Ms Nguyen — the lady who waited on Mayweather and Company at the Hardrock Café that night — for being overlooked by the world sports icon for a customary reward (tip).
She had to contend with clearing the leftovers associated with such a feast, with just a good story to tell anyone who cared to listen that she, indeed, had been at Money’s service.
Fast forward two months and to another continent, a national, continental and global boxing champion by the name of Charles Manyuchi disembarks from a Zupco chicken bus at the Roadport in Harare after a seven-hour arduous ride from Lusaka, Zambia.
He had gone there to represent his beloved country Zimbabwe.
So here he is, with his travelling bag strapped on his back, inside which is the World Boxing Council International welterweight belt he retained after making short work of Devis Caceres of Colombia inside six minutes.
There is nobody to welcome him, so he quickly flags a taxi to seek overnight accommodation at a lodge along Selous Avenue in the red light area of Harare.
He has to be at Mbudzi round-about first thing the next morning so he can catch the first bus to Masvingo to share his glory with the closest person in his life — his wife.
These, of course, are two sides of the same coin.
“Money” and Manyuchi belong to the same sporting discipline.
They are in the same weight division (welterweight).
They have both had their national anthems played for them ahead of each international match fought.
But the similarities end there.
A perusal through the WBC website will show a visitor the Zimbabwean flag boldly standing out like a lone ranger among a rainbow of colours.
Information on that platform will notify the same visitor that Manyuchi is the only African on the top 40 list of the best welterweight punchers in the world and that he is eligible to challenge Mayweather for a fight.
And yet he virtually has nothing to show for it.
Isn’t this a typical case of a prophet being celebrated in far-away lands when those of his own have hardly acknowledged his patriotic achievements?
According to Manyuchi, preparations for his defence title fight were not smooth sailing as, locally, he could not afford access to a good gym.
Occasionally and when he came to Harare he would visit the Raylton Club where there is a steel cabin with a single tattered punch bag hanging from the tin roof.
He complemented that with sparring sessions with any local boxer who offered to help, regardless of their weight categories.
That, however, was never to dampen the high spirits of the determined boxer who was to face an opponent whose training programme included a lengthy period in camp in different parts of the world.
Manyuchi, a typical warrior, won last Saturday’s fight inside six minutes and further endeared himself to the Zambians.
In Zambia, Manyuchi’s popularity “rivals” that of the Chipolopolo squad that won the AFCON trophy under the captaincy of Christopher Katongo.
They call him ‘‘Manuchi’’, mispronouncing his name, but literally, it bears the same meaning: honey or that which is derived from the sweet substance.
Ahead of a fight in which the Zimbabwean is the main draw card or supporting bout, gigantic electronic billboards are put up in the city of Lusaka.
Television, radio and print advertisements are flighted every so often, giving testimony of a corporate that celebrates the Zimbabwean.
Sadly, with no financial gain to be reaped from this arrangement on the part of the poor boxer, the God-fearing young man can only wish for such treatment in his homeland.
“I believe in God and what he can do for mankind. I have been favoured and can deliver divine punches and all glory goes to the Almighty for that. I also love my country which I crave to see among the top sporting nations in the world.
“One day very soon, I will take on Mayweather and have the entire world’s focus on Zimbabwe. It is just a matter of time and protocol,” the champion pugilist told The Sunday Mail in an interview at Diamond Acres Motel on the outskirts of Lusaka’s central business district.
His Zambian promoters hold Manyuchi in high regard, saying that he is one of the finest things ever to happen to their stable.
“Charles is bad news. He has the potential to conquer the world. Add to that his discipline and his sense of responsibility and you don’t doubt his achieving the goals he has set for himself,” says Christopher Malunga, the operations director of Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions.
“It is always a pleasure to be on the same bill with Charles because he sets the pace for other boxers such as myself. That is the reason why, just like he did before me today, I also stopped my opponent in the second round,” commented Catherine Phiri soon after successfully defending her own WBC international silver bantamweight title against Bukiwe Nonina of South Africa.
Zambia’s Minister of Sport, Youth and Child Development Hon Chishimba Kambwili is happy with Manyuchi’s coming to Lusaka for top fights, noting that it helps prop up the image of our northern neighbours.
“It is good to have him here. As you know, historically Zimbabwe and Zambia are one and we can almost call him a ‘Zambibwean. We have benefited from his achievements and, surely, there cannot be anything wrong in asking him to return a small favour for the hospitality that he enjoys from the Zambian people by doing some publicity work,” said Kambwili.
Back home, there is a Press conference for Manyuchi tomorrow, aimed at affording him the chance to tell his countrymen how the hunt achieved the much-sought-after game. Naturally, Minister Andrew Langa is expected to officiate in his capacity as the custodian of sport in this country.
How sweet it would be to hear the minister walk the talk he made on March 18 this year.
He said then: “The fact that we are here with Charles is the beginning of everything. As a ministry, we will assist him where we can, and we can also talk to the corporate world. We would love that he operates from home, but at present we will support him even when he is in Zambia.”
