ZABF Soft Punches in Battle for Hastings

African amateur welterweight champion Hastings Bwalya’s wish to turn professional has now received some strong support from within the fold.

An All-Africa Games Gold medal in 2007 including his crowning as African amateur champion that same year has left Bwalya with a great desire to turn pro despite a disappointing first round exit at the Beijing Olympics.

Bwalya has said he will not be defending his African title this June in Lome, Togo that he won 2007 at the last African Championships held in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

As in all other sports, the mare economics of pro sport have always lured the best and brightest from the amateur ranks at an early age. 

And Southern Province Amateur Boxing Associations (Spaba) general secretary Blackie Mantele has come out in support of  Bwalya, 23, who has dream of turning pro with a contract that will see him move to America in the offing.

“Spaba welcome the move taken by Africa welterweight defending champion Hastings Bwalya to quit amateur ranks due to poor management and also taking into account  that in amateur boxing has no benefits,” Mantele said.

“Let the boy move and they should allow him to turn to the professional ranks so that his family benefit and also that will determine his future.

“Boxers are suffering a lot in this country despite most of them bringing a lot of medals but nothing there are achieving.”

Two months ago, one of Spaba’s best prospects flyweight Cassius Chiyanika of Maamba also decided to turn pro.

Chiyanika was also ejected from the Olympics in the first round after a battling display against Olympic and World Amateur Championship bronze medalist Vincenzo Picardi of Italy who beat him 10-3.

“When you take part in the Olympic Games that is all because those are last tournaments in amateur ranks and one should start thinking of taking up professional boxing because that is where you can market your self,” he said.

“Also one should look at his (Bwalya) age and not to turn pro when you are the age of 30 years.”

Mantele said the trend will continue and he didn’t have to go far for an answer after the ZABF struggled to camp the team ahead of last weeks Zone 6 games and questioned the boxing governing body’s capacity to look into amateur boxers livelihood.

“Zambia Amateur Boxing Federation (ZABF) has lost a lot of dependable boxers who had made impact to the national team, this year another dependable boxer Cassius Chiyanika turned professional citing poor management,” he said.

“Just recently boxers traveled to Lesotho without camping , ZABF told the Associations to camp their respective boxers picked in their provinces waiting for government to release the money was released one week before the just ended tournament in Lesotho.

“However, as long as things continue to be bad with amateur boxing we shall lose out with a lot of good boxers because time is money.

“Consequently  if any boxer decides to quite amateur boxing meaning he has seen something better for his future so one should be allowed.”