Mahilasi’s win over Misanjo stirs storm

Challenger Moses Mahilasi earned a points victory over welterweight champion Charles Misanjo in an eight-round non-title bout at Robin’s Park in Blantyre on Sunday.

Thirty-four-year-old Mahilasi, who lost to 24-year-old Misanjo twice on technical knockout in previous encounters, found himself scoring 79-78, 77-77 and 77-76 on the scorecards of judges Elson Mankhomwa, Mbachichi Nyirenda and Agson Ng’onga.

But the verdict did not go down well with most of the 100-plus boxing fans who resorted to swearing and finger-pointing at the judges. The fans offered Misanjo some cash as consolation.

Then, Misanjo was fuming with fury. He could not help it but break down in tears while shouting: “Andibera! Andibera! (They have cheated me!)”

The judges argued that although Misanjo was a favourite, his punches lacked the power and the precision to earn good points.

“Most of Mahilasi’s punches were powerful and were hitting the target,” said Mankhomwa.

But Misanjo’s manager Harold ‘Pabalaza’ Dzuwa protested and suspected that the judges had ‘doctored’ the results.

“The results were supposed to be released immediately after the bout. Why did they consult in a room before giving out the results? This always happens when Misanjo fights in Blantyre. If officials continue to be biased like this, then boxing has no future in the country,” said Dzuwa.

In a supporting bout, Bright Mdoka earned a second-round technical knockout victory over Ernest Msoliza.