Minister commissions K45m boxing rings

Minister of Youth and Sports Ulemu Msungama on Saturday commissioned three new international standard boxing rings which government has bought at K45 million.

The development means local boxers will no longer have to worry about the prospect of sustaining injuries from a heavy fall on rickety rings.

When officially presenting the rings to Malawi Amateur Boxing Association (Maba) alongside Malawi Professional Boxing Control Board (MPBCB) at Blantyre Youth Centre, Msungama said government is hopeful that the equipment will help to improve boxing standards in the country.

“Maba has been coming to our offices, asking for more support to promote boxing and I am excited to handover the boxing rings which will be distributed to each of the country’s three regions,” he said.

“As government, we are confident that Maba and other boxing entities will have no excuse for failing to organise more bouts and bringing home medals from international bouts, including the imminent African Region Games in Lesotho.”

Malawi National Council of Sports board chairperson Sunduzwayo Madise urged the local boxing authorities to take good care of the equipment.

Maba president Pyson Likagwa thanked government for fulfilling its promise.

“We are happy to have finally received the standard boxing rings from government after years of struggles. Prior to this support, we were using rings that were acquired over 20 years ago and that was dangerous to our boxers,” he said.

“Now, it is a big relief that our boxers will be having bouts without worrying about sustaining injuries after falling on the canvas. This equipment will help us prepare well for international events such as Region Five Games and the Commonwealth Games.”

MPBCB second-vice president Frank Chibisa concurred with Likagwa that the rings will go a long way in uplifting the standards of the sport in the country.

The actual cost of the rings is K37 million while value-added tax was charged at K8 million.