ALICE READY FOR MACHO

MICHAEL MIYOBA writes
@SunZambian
WOMEN International Boxing Association (WIBA) Lightweight champion Alice Mbewe says she is ready for today’s non-title fight against Tanzanian Zulfa ‘Macho’ Yusufu at the Next Door Arena in Masaki, Dar es Salaam.
The Exodus Boxing Promotions boxer who won her WIBA Flyweight Intercontinental championship after beating Zimbabwean boxer Kudakwashe Nyagura via a unanimous point decision last year said she has done everything to triumph today.
Mbewe said she wasn’t intimidated facing the Tanzanian boxer deemed as one of the best in the region.
“I’m not worried, we have trained adequately for this fight. We started training when we were back home and even when we got here in Dar es Salaam we continued with our preparations so I’m not intimidated in any way,” Mbewe said.
“I know the boxer I will be fighting with is also a good boxer but I’m ready and my coach has done everything to ensure that I’m ready though this is not a title fight.”
And Mbewe’s coach Antony Mwamba said Mbewe is determined to triumph in Tanzania to protect her reputation as a WIBA Champion.
The fight organised by the Jackson Group (Sports) will be Mbewe’s first fight in 2020 after contact sports was halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Fatuma ‘Iron Fist’ Zarika is set to make a comeback in nearly 12 months since losing the World Boxing Council (WBC) super bantamweight title in a unanimous decision Mexico’s Yamileth Mercado.
Zarika, whose record stands at 32 wins (17KOs), 13 loses and two draws and who had a training stint in Dubai during the Covid-19 pandemic period, will be using her eight-round bout against Patience Mastara from Zimbabwe at the ‘Dar Fight Night’ in Tanzania to an-nounce her comeback to the global arena.
Zarika will be in the undercard of the main event featuring Prominent Tanzanian professional boxer Hassan Mwakinyo who camped in Lushoto in Tanga Region ahead of the World Boxing Federation (WBF) intercontinental super welterweight bout against Jose Carlos Paz of Argentine.
Apart from defending the WBF title, Mwakinyo will also be aiming in the same fight for the International Boxing Association (IBA) title.