Harmonize challenges Tanzanian professional boxer to a match

Dar es Salaam. Bongo Flava artiste Harmonize, real name Rajab Abdul Kahali, is making headlines this weekend, not for his singing prowess but for boxing.

 A video shared on social media showed the former WCB artiste involved in a physical and verbal altercation with Tanzanian pro-boxer Hassan Mwakinyo.

In the video, the two were seen exchanging insults as soon as Harmonize entered what appeared to be Pulse Gym in Dar es Salaam, located in the city's upscale Masaki neighbourhood.

Mwakinyo, who was in the boxing training ring when the tension started, could be seen and heard throwing words at Harmonize. The latter, seemingly infuriated, started approaching the pro-boxer, who also stood his ground.

The two were bent on squaring things off right there and then. It took restraint from Harmonize's bodyguards and some other buff guys who were in the gym to separate them.

However, Harmonize seems unsettled by how things ended, and he now wants to address the issue in the boxing ring.

The Single Again singer shared on his Instagram story a request for him and Mwakinyo to settle the score with a six-round duel.

In the post, Harmonize started by apologizing for his conduct in the heated exchange but went on to explain why he reacted the way he did.

"I thought Mwakinyo was only vocal on social media. However, when I entered the gym, he started verbally attacking me. What ticked me off were his insults to my parents. Just like any human being, I couldn't just stand there," Harmonize shared.

He further said that he wants to maintain his dignity. As a result, he invited Mwakinyo to an official six-round boxing match. He didn't specify the venue or date.

Mwakinyo, who has yet to comment on the altercation or the boxing match proposal, is a world-renowned professional boxer.

His real name is Halfan Hythani Hamza, but he is known by the ring names Hassan Mwakinyo and Tornado.

He held the WBF Intercontinental light-middleweight title twice in 2020 until he was stripped of the title.

He previously held the UBO International super light-middleweight title in 2018.

Mwakinyo, 29, made his professional boxing debut at the age of 20 against Alibaba Tarimo on November 29, 2015. He has since recorded a total of 23 fights, in which he won 20 fights and lost three without a draw.

Some of his decorated titles include: Tanzania super welterweight in 2016, East and Central Africa super welterweight in 2017, WBA Pan Africa super welterweight in 2017, UBO International super welterweight title in 2018, WBF Intercontinental super welterweight in 2020, and ABU super welterweight title in 2021.

Harmonize, on the other hand, is a professional singer who was brought to the spotlight under the WCB Wasafi label owned by Naseeb Abdul, aka Diamond Platnumz.