Francis Cheka (right) and Uensal Arik (left)
REELING from the recent defeat in the hands of the German strongman Uensal Arik, TEAM Francis Cheka is back on the drawing board as it attempts to defuse negative impact of the loss in their forthcoming rumble against the man of the people and dreadlock Thomas Mashali. The duo is competing for the “IBF Continental Africa Super Middleweight Title” as optional defense for Cheka.
The tournament slated for 1st May, 2013 (May Day) has elicited a lot of excitements from thousands of boxing stakeholders in Tanzania and the whole of East African region. Thomas Mashali is the East & Central African Middleweight Champion and the biggest crowd puller in the region todate.
Cheka’s recent defeat was kind of embarrassment as he took the fight as a warm up but alas, things turned bitter as the Germany strongman Uensal Arik sent him reeling to the floor before Thomas Mtua threw out the towel as SOS for the Tanzanian slugger! It was a defeat from “Manna”as this kind of taught Cheka a lesson or two about taking boxing serious as there is nothing as a small fight in boxing.
Adam Tanaka of Mumask Investment and Gebby Presure LTD, the man of the hour promoting this fight has been working over drive to have all the details finalized. Of the top priority is the arrival of the ring officials (all coming outside Tanzania) who have been summoned to preside over the rumble. This is so because Adam want to avoid complaints from either boxer should the decision goes against their expectations.
The man who has been charged with the responsibility to stand in as “the third man in the ring” is no other than the Zambian Army Officer, John Shipanuka who himself looks like a heavyweight boxer in refereeing uniform. Shipanuka’s body language and impatiality with boxers in the ring has illuminated his CV and make him one of the most sort-out ring officials in Sub Sahara Africa.
To assist him would be two Sedentary Generals of; Uganda Professional Boxing Commission (UPBC), master Simon Katogole and Daudi Chikwanje of Malawi Boxing Association (MBA). These two gentlemen would be in the company of one of the most experienced judges in East Africa Alhaj Ismail Sekisambu also from Uganda.
So, “the chickens have finally come home to roost” as any of the two has to face the consequences of his mistakes in the ring on that particular day.
So, as the clock ticks to the morning hours of May Day 2013, Dar Es Salaam landscape may turn into a “quicksand” for the two gladiators as fans from all walks of life jams the PTS Social Hall to witness yet another rumble of the year!
Nothing has been left to chances as the World’s premier professional boxing “top dog” the IBF has already given its blessing by sanctioning for the title!
ISSUED BY, INTERNATIONAL BOXING FEDERATION AFRICA (IBF/AFRICA0
DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA