THE comical side of Zimbabwe boxing reached new heights Wednesday afternoon amid revelations the much hyped super-middleweight fight between Mordecai Donga and Charles Manyuchi which dominated media space for the better part of a month, had no fight contract.
This follows inquiries on whether aggrieved parties had any grounds to institute a legal claim for damages incurred by the eleventh hour pull out of Charles Manyuchi.
The bout was scheduled for December 21 at the Harare Show Grounds.
Zim Morning Post was told that the only steps taken towards an agreement are WhatsApp messages between Donga and Manyuchi.
“The boxers agreed in principle on WhatsApp,” fight promoter Clyde Musonda of Deltaforce Boxing Academy told Zim Morning Post.
“Manyuchi even said he will beat up Donga calling him old dog. Everything was on course. Even in the media Manyuchi was granting interviews. The only problem we were facing was the weight agreement for the fight. Manyuchi had agreed to fight for free while it was agreed that all supporting bouts will be paid. But somehow Manyuchi began to raise new demands and later pulled out,” Musonda told Zim Morning Post.
He spoke as former Zimbabwe lightweight and middleweight boxing champion Mordecai Donga said he is considering taking legal action against Manyuchi for pulling out of the fight.
Manyuchi a former WBC welterweight champion, pulled out of the fight saying that he stands to gain nothing from fighting a retired boxer.
Donga who is now based in Eswatini branded Manyuchi a ‘chickening Charles’ vowing to make him account for his action.
“My legal team is exploring at ways to make him account to the sport for his actions. He wasted my time and also wasted the time for the fans,” said Donga
“Charles ‘the Chicken’ stop chickening away. The nation demanded this fight. We need not rob the nation of a fight it demanded. Come out and fight and get knocked out. You can run but you can’t hide,” Donga taunted.
Manyuchi announced his decision to withdraw from the fight through his coach Ali Phiri on Monday, saying he has nothing to prove against Donga who retired 10 years ago.
Curiously, the fight which was fraught with technical flaw was also not above board as Donga had not yet retired from Zimbabwe National Boxing Control Board where he is a board member.
