Mtimaukanena lands K1.2m promo deal
Top female professional boxer Agness Mtimaukanena has clinched a one-year promotion campaign deal with a local leading pharmaceutical company, Pharmanova Limited, to the tune of K1.2 million (about $4 800).
The deal is in recognition of her recent World Boxing Forum (WBF) middleweight title triumph.
Speaking during the contract signing ceremony held at Pharmanova’s premises in Blantyre on Friday, the fighter pugilist said she was very excited to secure corporate sponsorship.
“I wasn’t expecting it and I am very grateful to Pharmanova and I would like to assure them that I will be a good ambassador for their brand,” she said.
And on a rather lighter note, Mtimaukanena said: “This deal suits me fine because when I pound my opponents I will be offering them medicine from Pharmanova to heal the pain.”
Pharmanova’s group chairperson Yusuf Patel said Pharmanova decided to offer Mtimaukanena the deal because they are both champions.
“Agness is the boxing champion. She is an admirable lady in respect of physical outlook, she is also strong and punches her opponents very hard in the ring. She is reliable.
“Similarly, Pharmanova is a leading pharmaceutical company in Malawi, its products are known for quality and reliability. Pharmanova’s products fight diseases, pain and discomfort with a very strong punch.
“That is one of the reasons why the company has chosen to work with Agness for us to promote her and for her to promote our products,” said Patel.
He also said as a successful business enterprise, Pharmanova believes that it cannot exist without its customers and hence the noble necessity to give back to society.
“Our promotion contract is part of the execution of that responsibility. Our decision was influenced by the findings of our research which showed that as a sport, boxing has failed to grow due to lack of sponsorship and we wanted to set a humble example which could be followed by other companies so that boxing as a sport develops extensively,” he said.
Southern Region Boxing Committee (SRBC) chairperson Bester Saopa thanked Pharmanova for taking Mtimaukanena on board and appealed to other companies to emulate their gesture.
Pharmanova manufactures about 40 different medicines and cosmetic brands.
