Boxing is ranked amongst the most prominent […]

Boxing is ranked amongst the most prominent sports in Zambia, but its relevance has come under strain; struggling stables and empty coffers for the association have clamped its growth. After the demise of Commonwealth and ABU champion Lottie Mwale and Olympic gold medalist Keith Spinks Mwila, the boxing world has not been the same.

No one has come closer to emulating the legends; none have filled their shoes or gloves, a status quo that raises questions over why the sport that once beamed now remains below par. Not discarding the prowess of the new generation of boxers like David Mwale, who has done extremely well with his WBC Bantamweight title, and Patrick Baddo Chinyemba, who has now been ranked as number one in the amateur flyweight category, and many more boxers.

 The nation awaits to witness greatness, and the biggest challenge remains the lack of substantial funders. There are a few corporate entities that are funding the sport; perhaps the eyes have shifted to football.

Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times, Olympians Association of Zambia President Jonathan Chipalo says the likes of Mwale and Chinyemba have the potential to step into the shoes of Lottie Mwale. Chinyemba, also renowned as Baddo, has, over the recent years, made something out of nothing, featuring two times at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, a status that has now ranked him first in the world in the amateur featherweight category.

The ZBT has interviewed boxing stables numerously, particularly those in the outskirts, and the details are appalling, as most of them struggle to finance the talent that longs to burst to prominence. At the height of the challenges, Oriental Boxing Queries has stepped to the fore in organizing bouts, but they are not enough to revitalize the sport, as much of the grassroots remains untapped.

 Administratively, there are factions in the current administration and a lack of unity between ZBF and the Zambia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board (ZPBWCB). Interestingly, the Zambian Boxing Federation revealed their renewed membership into the World Boxing Council (WBC), a development that is likely to boost the sport.  The plans are just plans without results, and the nation awaits to witness

Article by Samuel Mutale