Chilemba meets President Banda, K2m donated to boxing
Revered South Africa-based World Boxing Council (WBC) Light heavyweight champion Isaac ‘Golden Boy’ Chilemba on Wednesday met Malawi president Joyce Banda at her official residence in Lilongwe.
The pugilist said he was “delighted” to meet the new Head of State.
“I really felt good to meet Her Excellency President Banda. She gave me encouragement and was keen to develop the sport of boxing so that Malawi can produce many international champions,” he said.
The First Couple has been following Chilemba’s bouts, watching on international television. The President’s husbands, retired chief justice Richard Banda is a sportsman and once played football which earned him a nick name of ‘shoeshine’ because of his impressive skills.
The soft-spoken boxer, born and bred in Chilomoni Township, Blantyre, who arrived in the country on Tuesday, says he is Malawian despite being referred as South African in some international bouts.
The pugilist clarified that he has no intention of renouncing his citizenship. He also expressed his desire to stage one of his bouts in Malawi.
World Boxing Council (WBC) says it recognises Chilemba as a Malawian, backing his stance that he has not changed nationality.
The ‘Golden Boy’ first went to Johannesburg in 2005 following his Chilomoni boxer friend Mazinyane.
Chilemba says he is changing his base from South Africa to United States where he clinched a three-year deal with a top US promoter.
The light skinned boxer, who is ranked 6 on the WBC, 13 on the WBA and 14 on the WBO, is under new promoters Dibella Boxing Promotions.
Chilemba came to Malawi to get documents for his stay in the US and to pay homage to late president Bingu wa Mutharika.
Meanwhile, President Banda has donated K2 million to the Boxing Association of Malawi through her Joyce Banda Foundation.
Malawi Boxing Association (Maba) president Laban Chimbalanga praide President Banda for the donation, saying it will go a long way to uplift the sport.
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