The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
CHARLES MANYUCHI has been fasting a lot these days, and during the times that he does eat, the boxing star has mainly resorted to his favourite roasted corn (maputi); all in an effort to get down to fighting weight.
The 30-year-old boxer takes on Diego Gallardo of Argentina – who touches down in Harare this afternoon – for the World Boxing Federation world middleweight title set for Harare International Conference Centre on Saturday night.
Manyuchi weighed about 75kgs last Friday, but the pugilist was confident he would have dropped to within the middleweight upper limit of 73kgs, when the weigh-in takes place at a Harare Hotel on Friday morning.
The former World Boxing Council silver welterweight champion has been camping at Lake Chivero for the past two weeks.
He has also been training thrice a day under the watchful eye of local trainer Alie “Otto” Phiri as he braces for probably his biggest fight since losing his WBC belt in 2017.
“The past two weeks have been hectic,…a lot of fasting, as I prepare for the weigh-in. I am about two kgs over now, but we are working on it, and that should not be a problem at all,” Manyuchi told The Sunday Mail Sport last Friday.
Saturday night’s bill, which also has a number of undercard bouts featuring boxers from the Charles Manyuchi Sports Academy, is being promoted by Prosper Chibaya, a director at the Chivhu based boxing institution.
Malawian female pugilist Anisha Bashir, Tinashe “Chairman” Madziwane, Hasani Milanzi, Brandon Denes and Enock Musambudzi are some of the main attractions on the undercard.
“Everything is almost in place, Saturday night will be something else. We have pegged the cheapest ticket at $20 so, we expect boxing fans to come in their thousands and cheer their gallant boxing son Charles Manyuchi.
“His opponent Gallardo is expected to touch down at the Robert Mugabe International Airport at around 12;30pm on Sunday (today) and the weigh in is next Friday,” said Chibaya, the Chivhu boxing lady, who is slowly making her mark on the local boxing scene.
This will be Manyuchi’s 29th professional bout since making his debut on February 14, 2009, but the boxer says he is feeling renewed as he heads into this crucial bout, which could restore his legacy.
“I feel like I am starting this boxing career once again and I have renewed energy. I am aware of the importance of this belt given where I am coming from.
“Everyone knows that at one time, I was at the top, before I Iost the WBC belt, but that is water under the bridge. What is important is that I am now back on track and I will rise to the top again.
“I am inspired a lot, when I read about the great Tiger Woods’ comeback story in golf, I am also inspired when I read about Tyson Fury’s boxing story. At one time, people said Fury was down and out, but look where he is now,” Manyuchi said.
Manyuchi now has a 23-4-1 record after defeating Ezequiel Acosta of Argentina in a Global Boxing Union title fight held at the HICC on May 25.
“Gallardo looks like he will be a more difficult opponent than Acosta, but all the same, I am ready for war.” Manyuchi moved to number 40 on the world middleweight rankings after that GBU title fight. The 39-year-old Gallardo is ranked 89th in the world.
Gallardo has 29 professional bouts and has won 22 (13 by Kos), lost six and drawn once.
He lost his last fight to countryman Billi Facundo Gody, who is ranked 85th in the world.
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez of Mexico, who holds the World Boxing Council, World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation middleweight belts, remains the top ranked pugilist in this division.
The highest ranked African boxer in the middleweight division is Walter Kautondokwa of Namibia, who is ranked 25th and is the reigning World Boxing Organisation Africa middleweight champion.
