Chombe dangles sponsorship to Chiotcha

In a bid to inspire Chimwemwe ‘Chipembere’ Chiotcha ahead of his catchweight non-title professional bout against reigning Zimbabwe welterweight champion Charles Manyuchi, Chombe Foods have pledged a sponsorship deal should he win.

Chiotcha (29) is set to take to the ring against the highly-rated Zimbabwean pugilist at BAT Ground in Blantyre next Sunday in a bout that has generated a lot of interest.

Chombe Foods acting manager Douglas Saiti said they will consider making ‘Chipembere’ an ambassador for their Chombe Tea brand in the event that he beats Manyuchi.

“As a winning and leading brand, we would like to be associated with a popular sport and to us, boxing currently comes second to football on the local scene.

“We are not new in sponsoring sports because in the past we used to sponsor football through the Chombe Tea Cup.

“From what we have read and heard, Manyuchi is a highly-rated boxer and we feel Chiotcha is the right boxer to stop him in his tracks and that is why we have made the pledge,” said Saiti.

Last week, Chombe Foods also donated food supplements to Chiotcha to help him prepare for the bout.

Chiotcha who boasts 11 wins [nine KOs] and two losses, said he has intensified his preparations under the tutelage of his trainer Godfrey Jalale.

“I cannot just afford to lose this one because if I win it will help me market myself to a wider audience,” said Chiotcha.

His Zimbabwean opponent who is slated to arrive in the country on Tuesday or Wednesday, boasts 11 wins out of 14, two draws and a loss.

So far, apart from Chombe Foods, other companies that have pledged sponsorship towards the bout are Safari General Dealers, Nangaunozge Building Contractors, Bath and Tiles Connection and Tile and Tap.

The promoter is Mike ‘Bangwe 1’ Chitenje of Mulanje Last Boxing Promotions.