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Tadious Manyepo-Zimpapers Sports Hub
LEADING Zimbabwe female boxer Kudakwashe “Take Money” Chiwandire is back in the trenches with a bout against Russia’s Karinaz Tazabekova in Saint-Petersburg on Wednesday next week marking her return, almost two years since her last fight.
The 28-year-old is expected to leave this afternoon in the company of her manager/coach Clyde Musonda via Johannesburg-Dubai and arrive in the vast European country at 11am tomorrow.
Her fight against the highly-regarded Tazabekova will be her first duel since March last year when she failed in her bid to wrestle away the WBC super-bantamweight gold piece from Mexican star Yamileth Mercado in Chihuahua.
The Number One rated pound-for-pound female boxer in Africa has, through her management, been making concerted efforts to storm back into the ring without any joy.
She was scheduled to have a crack at the WBF intercontinental belt against Nomusa Ngema of South Africa in September but her opponent chickened out at the last minute.
Malawian Flora Machela followed suit in signing out in the Eleventh Hour having had the Zimbabwean travel all the way to Lilongwe last month.
Even Chiwandire’s rather desperate attempt to exchange leather with Loveness Khokha following the withdrawal of Machela fell through despite the latter having initially committed to the fight.
But she is now almost guaranteed the bantamweight eight-round fixture against the Russian prospect who is trying to move up the rankings and threatening to take the boxing world by storm.
Chiwandire is taking this battle as part of her preparation for the upcoming WBC Africa contest against Malawian Ellen Simwaka on March 29 next year.
Machela is the second-best ranked pound-for-pound female boxer in the continent.
Speaking ahead of their departure today, Chiwandire’s coach/manager Musonda said they are going to Russia to fight for the country’s badge.
“We are going there to box and nothing else. Kuda Chiwandire has been out for a long time and she is obviously rusty. But we are not going there merely to shake it off. We will certainly compete and possibly post another win on the board,” said Musonda.
‘We are excited about the opportunity to fight in Russia. It gives us a lot of exposure and it’s a good platform to prepare for the upcoming WBC Africa showdown against Ellen (Simwaka),” said Musonda.
“All I can say is that Chiwandire is in good spirits. She has been training ever since we were building up for the match against Ngezma Nomusa in September. She is in shape and we are hoping for nothing but the best.”
