. Phiri

By SANDRA MWILA –
ZAMBIAN boxing sensation, Catherine Phiri has been given a shot to challenge for the World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight title proper after being lined up to face Caroline Rodriges of Chile in March.
While Catherine will be challenging for the proper title, Zimbabwean born Charles Manyuchi will be defending his World Boxing Council (WBC) International title against David Avanesya of Russia.
The WBC belt is currently held by Yazim Rivas of Mexico and both Catherine and Rodriges wanted to challenge her for the title but she is challenging Jackie Nava for the super bantamweight.
Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions (OQBP) manager Christopher Malunga said at a Press briefing at Southern Sun in Lusaka yesterday that the Catherine fight will be staged in March but the venue has not yet been finalised.
Malunga said that the winner between Catherine and Rodriges will be the interim WBC champion and can only become champion if Rivas does not shed weight to challenge the winner for the title.
“I was in Las Vegas lobbying for opponents for Catherine and Manyuchi and I am glad that we were able to find Carolina from Chile who is also challenging for the main title and David from Russia who wants to challenge our boxer,” he said.
Rodriges has a fought and won all her 14 fights while Manyuchi’s challenger Avanesya has a record of 21 fights from which he boosts of 19 wins, one loss and draw.
But that record did not scare Catherine who said she was happy that her dream to fight for the WBC proper will soon become a reality and that she was ready to fight Rodriges anywhere in the world because her aim is to win title.
“I am happy that finally I will fight for the WBC main title and I am very much ready to fight Rodriges be it in Zambia or in Chile,” she said.
Malunga said the boxing stable has lined up three promotions this year and has raised K500,000 towards the programme.