The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
Sports Reporter
THE euphoria has waned, the drums have gone silent and the buzz has died.
She has suddenly been forgotten with the passage of time.
And it’s back to usual settings for World Boxing Council (WBC) Super Bantam interim champion, Kuda Chiwandire, who understandably has been bitter about the way Zimbabwe failed to recognise her achievement.
The 26-year-old mother of three didn’t get much when she defeated Catherine Phiri of Zambia in Lusaka on February 26.
Sources claim she got something less than US$2 000 for winning a fight that has propelled her into being the number one contender for the WBC Super Bantam gold belt, which is in the hands of Mexican Yamileth Mercado.
Nothing much has changed for Chiwandire in the aftermath of that huge feat.
For all the jubilation that followed her victory in Zambia, “Take Money’’ Chiwandire has nothing material to show, almost 50 days after capturing the prestigious title.
She still struggles for bus fare, she is still battling to feed her three kids and is now even contemplating returning to her old ways of survival.
She used to sell corn snacks (mhandire) at Copacabana Bus Terminus in Harare’s Central Business District (CBD) and only left the trade when the WBC fight against Phiri was brokered by her handlers, Delta Force Academy.
“I am still living the same kind of life I endured before I won this WBC belt. Nothing has changed, zvandaingori ndozvandiri,” she said.
“Winning the WBC belt does not mean that I now have the money; It doesn’t mean my life has changed.
“Sometimes I feel like going back to the streets and do what I used to do. If there was that opportunity, I would definitely go back and do vending and hairdressing hustles that I used to do in the CBD.”
Chiwandire is, however, back at training at a Harare gym preparing for a World Championship fight against Mercado, which should happen in the next three months.
“I have to gun for the world title. I can’t go back now because of the stage I am at now, but to tell you the truth, vending is better.
“In the streets, I would sell mhandire (corn snacks) at Copacabana area. I was also doing hairdressing at the same time.
“I should have done that the day after I arrived from Zambia with the WBC belt, but now that another bigger opportunity to fight world champion Mercado has arisen, I have to take it.
“I hope my life will one day change for the better through boxing.”
Chiwandire believes she did not get the recognition she deserved after defeating the highly-fancied Phiri.
Her belt is actually more valuable than Charles Manyuchi’s WBC Silver, which he won in 2016 before relinquishing it to Uzbek boxer Kudratillo Abdukakhorov the following year.
She is also the only female Zimbabwean boxer ever to win a WBC belt.
“But, you will find out that even before I went to fight Catherine (Phiri) in Zambia there were financial struggles. I almost travelled to Zambia by bus until a Good Samaritan popped up at the last minute.
“But I had to sacrifice because here was a rare opportunity not only for me, but for Zimbabwe. I risked a lot of things in order to win this belt.
“I left a lot of things behind to concentrate on this task ….
“But, nothing has been said or done … Not even a simple recognition or a simple congratulatory message … However, I still believe in myself. I still believe God will show the way,” she said.
Chiwandire is once again seeking sponsorship for “a smooth camp” ahead of the match against Mercado.
“I am preparing for the biggest fight of my life. It’s a huge opportunity that I should grab. I just hope that I will get adequate sponsorship for my training camp and travel expenses. Yes, we won in Zambia but the build-up was chaotic, which is what I want to avoid as I prepare for this world title fight.”
Her trainer and manager, Clyde Musonda, revealed that Zimbabwe had a chance to host the world title fight.
“She is a mandatory challenger to Mercado and we are going to start negotiating on where the fight will take place.
“We have a chance to host the fight if we can. The fight should happen in three months’ time. The WBC vice president is helping us so that this fight is staged in Africa, especially here in Zimbabwe,” said Musonda.
The veteran trainer is hoping the upcoming bout could finally open opportunities for the pugilist.
“The WBC is the number one sanctioning body in the world. If you don’t hold a WBC title, then you are not recognised.
“All those boxers who have won the WBC gold belt are millionaires. Even Mercado is a millionaire, so I hope this is the beginning of better things to come for Chiwandire.”
