Zambia’s boxing team has left fans and spectators proud and impressive, despite returning home without any medal at the 2023 World Boxing Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The team consisting of three boxers, Andrew Chitala, Stephen Zimba and Patrick Chinyemba along with coaches Wisdom Mudenda and Kennedy Kanyanta, fought with an incredible spirit and determination, making it through to the quarterfinals for two of the three boxers.
Following up on the performance of the boxers, the National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ) Secretary General, Boniface Kambikambi told Lusaka Star that the committee felt proud and happy over the boxer’s presentation in Uzbekistan.
“This particular championship they went to, was a case cage, because it was a high campaign which was genuinely good and we are happy with the performance especially two of them reached the quarterfinals of the competition,” Mr. Kambikambi said.
Mr. Kambikambi said the participation at the world boxing championship will help the boxers to identify gaps that are there and have experience they got from fighting with experienced boxers.
“I am aware that Stephen lost his match, but this is a training part and a preparation tool that we use, and we trust that the coaches can pick up areas that needs to be worked on,” he added.
Kambikambi further said that the committee is happy with the results which came out despite the boxers coming back without any medal from the competition.
“We are proud of their participation and the effort the coaches had put in before and during the competition,” Kambikambi said.
The three boxers’ impressive run at the tournament was cut by a tough loss for lightweight boxer Andrew Chitala, who was defeated by Cuba’s Alvarez Borges Erislandy by the use of an agreed points decision.