The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
ORIENTAL QUARRIES , the Zambian promoters who transformed Charles Manyuchi into a world champion before their fruitful three-year relationship collapsed in amazing fashion last year, insist the boxer can still make a sensational return to the stable.
Oriental Quarries’ manager Christopher Malunga last week hinted at the possibility of a reunion.
“It’s for himself to do (ask for dialogue), with his clear mind. We handled him with love and protection as our boxer because Zimbabwe and Zambia are twins,” he said.
“It’s not for the media or any other person to ask for his return. We invested a lot of money, time and skill because we wanted to expose Zimbabwe and Zambia to the global boxing platform, which we did.
“That was appreciated by His Excellency President Robert Mugabe, his entire Government including the Zimbabwean people as well as the excellent boxing board of Zimbabwe.”
Oriental did not renew their contract with Manyuchi when it expired in November 2015 amid reports of a fall out over the $ 50 000 gift the boxer got from President Mugabe in recognition of his stellar shows in the ring.
Under the agreement between Manyuchi and Oriental the boxer was supposed to remit 25% of that money to his handlers.
He, however, did not remit the money arguing that gifts were not covered under the clause which spoke of earnings.
Manyuchi rose to stardom in July 2013, winning the African Boxing Union title before clinching the WBC International welterweight belt in March 2014.
He defended the WBC title twice under the Oriental Quarries stable but the abrupt ending of the relationship with the Zambians left him in the cold.
The boxer is struggling to find a new promoter to broker a mandatory title defence.
According to the WBC’s stipulations, a champion has to defend his belt after every six months.
Manyuchi’s fate now lies in the hands of the WBC, who can either strip him of his belt or force an opponent on the out of shape boxer.
The WBC champion did not respond to questions sent by this paper but once told this publication “he had no qualms with Oriental Quarries.”
“They (Oriental Quarries) built my career to where it is now. I have the talent and they have the management experience, the combination was perfect,” he said soon after the expiry of the contract.
The boxing star has been linked with a host of promoters, including an American agent, but nothing tangible has materialised.
