A little hot rivalry in 2010 will be welcome after a season of awful football in 2009.
One hopes that Wedson Nyirenda’s feat of three league titles in a roll with two different teams will set the stage for some all-season-long drama between his side Zanaco and Zesco United next year.
Zesco United, coached by former Zanaco trainer Fighton Simukonda who was Nyirenda’s superior from 2005 and 2006 when the bankers won back-to-back league titles, finished second but tied on 63 points with the Sunset side who won the league via a better goal difference.
But while Nyirenda has the advantage with three titles, Simukonda has set a standard for him in Africa after the latter’s Africa Champions’ League Group stage qualification.
The pressure is on Nyirenda and Zanaco to equal Simukonda’s feat or the 2010 season will be a failure.
Simukonda on the other hand is not off the hook either and the league is an unavoidable objective including group stage qualification again this time for the CAF Confederations Cup.
THE CHINGANGU MOMENT
For those that were not at Esther Phiri’s fight at Mulungushi International Conference Centre or skipped to outside for some air during last two undercard fights missed a scandal.
Joseph Chingangu’s Africa Boxing Union heavyweight title defence against Nigerian Abbe Adewale was saved by the bell from Esther’s camp after suffering some serious organizational problems with a budget shortfall.
When and where the official weigh-in took place remains a mystery and no official announcement that the fight was moved from Sunday to Saturday where it was placed as a supporting bout to Esther’s WIBA title fight.
And when the fight did take place, his Nigerian opponent literary run like a rabbit with one hand on the ropes and the other, elbow high and out, shielding his face before Chingangu saved our precious time and sent him to the deck.
If this is how rock bottom the ABU heavyweight reputations had fallen, then the institution of boxing has truly been demeaned.
I just hope the promoter don’t blame ABU fiasco on the K60 million government refused to pump into the fight.
Promoters and their boxers have an obligation to their fans.
Common story: sponsorship shotfalls, poor funding, below par players who only play the game as a means of making a living instead of it being a career. Corruption, Poor political stituation and very poor economy, Leaders with no ideas let alone ffuture orientation. Lesa tutule.
I recall with nostalgia a promoter by the name of Gibson Nwoso (SP).Â