Class faces challenging task against Zim pugilist

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s emerging boxer, Ibrahim Class, faces the uphill task of beating Zimbabwean opponent, Evans Husayihwevhu, in their light-weight international bout slated for April 9, this year, at the Next Door Arena in Dar es Salaam.

The two boxers will fight against each other on the eight round undercard of Hassan Mwakinyo against Zimbabwean Brendon Denes for the vacant African Boxing Union (ABU) welterweight title.

Also, another Tanzanian boxer Shaaban Jongo will slug it out with Nigerian Olanrewaju Durodola in a 12-round ABU cruiser-weight bout. Mr Class - who has a record of 25 wins and six losses - will face a tough opponent who is yet to lose a single bout since he joined professional boxing on May 5, 2018.

Records show that Husayihwevhu has won five bouts by KOs (knockouts) - and two on points.

The bout was earlier scheduled for March 26 at the same venue. But, due to the long mourning period for the late Tanzanian President John Magufuli, the organisers, Jackson Group Sports, postponed it. Jackson’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kelvin Twissa said the arrival dates of the foreign boxers and officials have been revised accordingly. He, therefore, called on stakeholders to be cool, calm and collected as they wait for the new date.

The bout has been organised to enable Mwakinyo to be listed in the World Boxing Council (WBC) records. Twissa said the boxers are continuing with training ahead of the event, for which general seats are on sale for Sh50,000. VIP seats cost Sh200,000 each.

Tickets are available through nilipe and ontapp. According to Twissa, they expect to have a thrilling event - taking into account the status of each of the boxers. Twissa said Denes has not lost a fight in the eight contests he has so far featured in, while Mwakinyo has fought 18 and lost only two.

On that day, there will be undercards with Collins Omondi Ojal fighting Zimbabwean boxer Elvis Moyo in an eight round heavyweight bout. Yosif Panov from Bulgaria will exchange blows with Tanzanian Mwinyi Mzengela in a super-welterweight bout scheduled for eight rounds.

Female boxers Joana Nwamerue from Bulgaria will fight Zimbabwean Chiedza Homakoma in four rounds of light-weight boxing, while Congolese Ardi Ndembo will face Zimbabwean Simon Madanhire.

Other Tanzanians, Abdallah Mahfudh and Hafidh David, will also step into the ring to exchange blows in a light-heavyweight bout scheduled for four rounds.

“This is ‘Rumble in Dar Part Two,’ which we project to be more exciting because all are professional fighters to reckon with,” said Twissa.