The Sunday Mail
Pause. Listen. Can you hear that?
That is the sweet sound of what British journalist Pierce Egan back in the 1800s called “the Sweet Science of Bruising”.
That sweet science, to the uninitiated, is boxing.
And it sounds its sweetest when it ends in victory. And oh how much sweeter it is when it is a world title victory for a Zimbabwean whose surname means “the bees”.
The impossible morphed into reality on Friday night as Charles Manyuchi out-punched Dmitry Mikhaylenko to become the World Boxing Council silver welterweight champion.
To the astonishment of the boxing world, Manyuchi handed Mikhaylenko his first defeat and claimed a belt that was recently vacated by Briton Amir Khan at the DIVS Arena in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
It was the stuff of dreams.
In the eyes of the pundits, the Zimbabwean hit man had a snowball’s chance in hell against an opponent who had hitherto proved to be an irresistible force.
For 21 fights on the bounce, Mikhaylenko had his hand lifted by the referee and was the odds-on favourite against a boxer who had lost two and drawn one of his 20 fights.
The bookmakers expected a routine win for the Russian as he was facing a man who had only returned to full training just eight weeks prior to the fight at a massive 13kg over the welterweight limit of 66,7kg.
Manyuchi was fighting in Mikhaylenko’s den and some argued that the only way he could get past a “home town decision” was to knock down the boxer nicknamed The Mechanic.
The weather was also expected to put the Zimbabwean at a disadvantage as Yekaterinburg was forecast to be at 9 degrees Celsius by the time Manyuchi stepped into the ring. Coming from sunny Zimbabwe, it would be a wonder if Manyuchi would be able to get his blood pumping from the first bell.
It was claimed Mikhaylenko was the better boxer and touted him as “a great pressure fighter with terrific cardio and the ability to throw a ton of punches over the course of a bout”.
They saw Manyuchi as a boxer with a tough chin but one who has “serious defensive flaws, often leaving his hands by his side and leaving openings for counters”.
However, sport doesn’t always follow the script. Consider the Miracle at Leicester.
If the script was followed, there would be no betting industry. The word “upset” would be alien. And Manyuchi would not be WBC welterweight silver champion as you read this.
The sweet science came together sweetly for Manyuchi in the Russian cold and the Zimbabwean pugilist and his handlers – Oriental Quarries – are smiling like the cat that got the cream.
Zimbabweans are trending Manyuchi on social media as they hail one of the greatest achievements in local sport post-Uhuru.
Our brothers and sisters across the Zambezi are also celebrating because to them Manyuchi is a son of the Zambezi.
The Zambians believed in Manyuchi more than his countrymen did and he upped sticks and crossed the river to fine-tune the sweet science there.
So when they raise their glasses in Lusaka to honour Manyuchi, no one should ask why because he is a hero of two nations.
In his moment of triumph Manyuchi hailed Sports and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane for helping bring his career back on the rails.
A nasty fallout with Oriental Quarries towards the end of 2015 left Manyuchi without a promoter to organise a mandatory title defence.
The Zambian promoters insisted they had had enough of Manyuchi. Hlongwane believed the Zimbabwean boxer’s honey was too sweet to resist and in February he called for a meeting between the two parties in Harare.
It ended in some kissing and making up.
Yesterday Hlongwane hailed Manyuchi for once again raising the country’s flag high.
“We are proud of this achievement,” he told a Region V executive meeting. “This victory vindicates our drive to ensure that sport is played in every village because Charles Manyuchi comes from the rural areas.
“My question is how many other Charles Manyuchi’s have we missed because out sports structure does not cater for the talented rural boy or girl?
“As the Minister of Sport and Recreation I pledge to ensure that Charles is rewarded for this fantastic achievement.”
Zimbabwe National Wrestling and Controlling Board chairman Paul Njerema also showered Manyuchi with praise after the successful Russian Job.
“The ZNBWCB extends its heartfelt congratulations to Charles Manyuchi and his Zambian promoters for this wonderful achievement in Russia.
“He has done Zimbabwe and the boxing fraternity in particular proud. We extend our appreciation to Chris Malunga and Oriental Quarries for a job well done,” he said.
And as The Sunday Mail, we too toast this great son of the soil. Here’s to the sweet science, here’s to Manyuchi!
