Maba stops North boxing bonanza

Malawi Amateur Boxing Association (Maba) on Saturday stopped an amateur boxing bonanza which Northern Regional chapter organised at Obrigado Leisure Park in Mzuzu.

Maba stopped the bonanza after the organisers incorporated a professional bout between amateur coaches Perpetual Mkandawire and Philemon Nkhakamila Banda contrary to rules and regulations.

The two retired professional boxers shifted to amateur boxing as coaches last year and Maba said it does not tolerate coaches to fight at any event.

“It has been known that you have incorporated to stage the bout between retired boxers; Perpetual Mkandawire against Philemon Nkhakamila Banda at your bonanza scheduled Saturday. Let me bring to your attention that the intended bout is illegal and against Maba regulations.

“I hereby advise you to avoid such arrangements forthwith. Any disobedience will invite disciplinary action as per the provision of Article 28 of Maba regulations,” reads the letter, which was also copied to Malawi Professional Boxing Control Board (MPBCB) and the two boxers.

MPBCB president Lonzoe Zimba had earlier questioned the bout between the two veterans and described it as a gross violation of rules and regulations.

In an interview, Maba vice-president Pyson Likangwa emphasised that the current Maba statutes does not allow boxing coaches back into the ring.

“Mkandawire and Banda are now coaches and are not supposed to fight. This is straight forward and clear,” he said.

The two boxers, alongside Jobson Adams, John Masamba and Andy Muyaya, crossed over to amateur after undergoing a level three coaching course facilitated by South African Boxing Association president Andile Mofu in Lilongwe last year.

But Maba Northern Region chapter said the two boxers were included in the bonanza just to spice up the event.