The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
AFTER a decade long career that began on Valentine’s Day in 2009 and took him as far as Russia and Singapore, Charles Manyuchi has begun walking down the retirement road.
The 30-year-old former WBC Silver welterweight champion wants to serve his last four boxing dishes – “The Last Four” – before calling it quits.
The first of “The Last Four” is an International Boxing Federation super welterweight intercontinental title fight against Ariel Alejandro “El Toro” Zampedri of Argentina in May.
Manyuchi has resumed training at Body Active Gym in Borrowdale and is scheduled to camp in South Africa for the IBF fight set for Harare International Conference Centre.
“Last Four is the name I have given the fights I will take part in before I announce my next move,” explained Manyuchi.
“Every boxer has to retire one day but I still want to give my fans another chance to cheer me up. That is why I am back in the gym, ready to rumble again. Everything is in order, I am fighting again in May,” he added.
Manyuchi is still under Zambian promoters Oriental Quarries and will also be backed by longtime local sponsors Mr T35 in his last four fights. “I am still under Oriental Quarries and can tell you that two of the last four fights will be held in Zambia.
“I need to go and fight in Zambia, the Zambians have supported and loved me so much and I need to pay them back as well,” said Manyuchi. After the May bout, the Manyuchi camp will host another boxing night in August before wrapping the year with another match in December.
“Because of time and logistics we will host the final fight of the last four early next year,” revealed Manyuchi.
The former WBC top five welterweight boxer also spoke about his shift to the super welterweight division.
“I have grown in weight hence the decision. I was once a 66.6 kg boxer but now I am on 69 kg which is the super welterweight,” he said. Manyuchi made his professional debut on February 14, 2009 when he beat Isaac Pokheni at Raylton Sports Club in Harare.
He rose to international prominence in June 2013 when he wrestled the African Boxing Union welterweight title after knocking out Patrice Sou Toke of Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou.
Manyuchi moved a notch higher in March 2014 when he clinched the vacant WBC International welterweight belt at the expense of Ghanaian Patrick Allotey in Lusaka.
His first fight in Europe came in July 2015 when he successfully defended his WBC International title against Italian Gianlucca Frezza – a win that earned him $50 000 from former President Robert Mugabe.
Manyuchi reached the pinnacle of his career on May 6, 2016 when he became the WBC Silver welterweight champion after beating Dimtry Mikhaylenko in Russia.
Sadly he surrendered the belt in embarrassing style after he was knocked out in the first round by Uzbek boxer Qudratillo Abduqaxorov in Singapore on March 25, 2017.
Manyuchi’s record now stands at 22-4-1 going into his planned last four fights.
