Relief at last!
Zimbabwe boxing star Charles Manyuchi has managed to beat the two hours deadline he was given to shed off extra weight to save the World Boxing Federation middleweight bout against Argentine Diago Gallardo in the capital tomorrow.
This means the much-anticipated fight will take place as scheduled this Saturday night at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC). Manyuchi encountered a brief setback at the weigh-in when he returned 200g above the stipulated weight in the fight category, middleweight. Manyuchi weighed-over 72.9 kilograms against the middleweight limit of 72.575 kilos and was given two hours to deal with the extra 200g.
With Gallardo, who was in-weight at 71.2kg relaxing, Manyuchi had to undergo gruelling mass-shedding activities as officials from the WBF waited for the outcome. The Chivhu-based fighter eventually shed off to clock 72.4 kilos, much to the relief of his handlers.
Had Manyuchi failed to weigh-in within the stipulated period, the fight could have been cancelled or, Gallardo willing, it would have been reduced to a non-title fight.
