ZIMBABWE’S two-time World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Charles Manyuchi and his handlers are optimistic the boxer will rise in the world rankings after successfully defending his title in his last fight.
BY Our Staff
Manyuchi, who was last month named the country’s Sports Person of the Year after a successful season, beat Devis Caceres of Colombia in November last year with a third round knockout at the Government Complex in Lusaka, Zambia.
The 26-year-old boxer, who is currently ranked 23 in the green category where champions are ranked, will be back in the ring in March this year to defend his WBC title against David Avanesya of Russia.
Speaking to this publication from Zambia, Manyuchi’s handler, Chris Malunga, who runs the Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions stable, said they were expecting a change in Manyuchi’s world rankings after a sterling performance when he defended his title for the first time which will be aided by his performance in his next fight as well.
“Manyuchi successfully defended his title, which means they might be an improvement in his world ranking. It’s not everytime that world rankings improve after a boxer defends his title,” Malunga said.
In his next match, Manyuchi will face Avanesya, who is ranked eight places better than him and a win will mean a lot in his world ranking.
Manyuchi said fighting a boxer who is better ranked than him was motivation on its own.
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“It will be good to fight people who are better ranked than me as this will also work in my favour. I hope I will be in a position to successfully defend my title. I have started working hard now.” Manyuchi took that opportunity to clarify the importance and value of the belt that he holds.
“I hold the third best belt in the WBC. The belt cannot be compared to Commonwealth belts that other local boxers have won in the past. I have heard some people comparing this belt with other belts that boxers fight for here in Africa. To tell you the truth, I am the third African boxer to win this belt.”
He added “There are two belts that I still have to fight for to become a WBC world champion, the title Floyd Mayweather holds, the WBC Gold and the WBC Silver that Amir Khan holds.”
Manyuchi also explained why he is ranked 23 in the WBC world ranking.
“As I have already said, the two top belts have a champion and his 10 contenders, meaning Mayweather holds the gold and has his 10 contenders in that category to make them 11, while Khan holds the silver and has his 10 contenders to also make them 11. So if we add boxers from these two categories, they add up to 22, and then comes my third best belt, where I also have my 10 contenders,” Manyuchi explained.
