"Excessive Fees" Force Charles Manyuchi To Relocate To Zambia
Zimbabwean champion boxer Charles Manyuchi has decided to move his boxing academy and promotion entity to Zambia, citing astronomical fees that local promoters are having to pay.
In an exclusive interview with Zimpapers Sports on Thursday, Manyuchi said that the high fees gazetted by the Zimbabwean government make it difficult to recoup investments from events.
He said the boxing environment in Zimbabwe is not conducive due to these excessive fees, and that it is virtually impossible to make a financial return on hosting boxing tournaments. Said Manyuchi:
The boxing environment in Zimbabwe is not conducive due to the gazetted fees that are way too high to sustain promotions.
There is nothing we can do about it because they have been set and ratified by a higher authority which is the Ministry of Sport, Art, Culture and Recreation.
When, as a promoter, one looks at the benefit they would have derived from hosting a boxing tournament, there is virtually none because, at the end of it all, there is no financial reward to talk about. It’s as good as doing charity work.
So given the current state of things, I do not anticipate putting up any tournaments in Zimbabwe in the foreseeable future because it is expensive to do so.
According to The Herald, Manyuchi has acquired an academy licence, promoter and manager licences, as well as licences for his boxers from Zimbabwe and two Zambians who have recently joined his stable.
The Zambian duo includes Simon Ngoma and Alice Mbewe, previously with Exodus Boxing.
According to receipts from the Zambia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board, Manyuchi paid a total of K1 200, equivalent to US$46, for these licences.
Hosting a boxing event in Zambia requires a US$30 payment, a US$25 ring rental, and US$40 for each referee and judge. Boxers, however, do not have to pay any levy on their earnings.
In contrast, Zimbabwean regulations impose a US$250 promoter licence fee, US$275 for an international tournament sanction, around US$300 for ring rental, and US$80-$100 for referees and judges.
In addition, the Zimbabwean boxing control board deducts 10% of a boxer’s earnings from each match.
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