The Zambia Boxing Federation (ZBF) has described 2025 as a difficult year for Zambian boxing as the federation failed to send boxers to major international competitions. ZBF Secretary, Humphrey Kasosolwa, says Zambia did not participate in the International Boxing Association (IBA) Elite Women’s Championships held in Serbia in March and the African Boxing Confederation Youth Championships in April. In an exclusive interview with the media, Kasosolwa said the situation was caused by financial challenges that forced the federation to miss several international competitions.
He said the missed outings attracted criticism but stressed that the absence was not intentional. “Organising international competitions is not easy, especially when a federation is facing financial difficulties. It was never our intention to skip these tournaments,” Kasosolwa emphasised.
He however said despite the challenges, Zambia managed to send seven boxers and a technical team to compete at the World Championships in Dubai, where two boxers, Emmanuel Katema and Patrick Chinyemba, secured bronze medals. Kasosolwa said the achievement earned Zambia third place globally and the top ranking in Africa. He said each bronze medalist earned US$75,000, while another Zambian boxer also received prize money after reaching the later stages of the competition.
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He added that the Dubai outing was made possible through the intervention of the Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts, Elvis Nkandu who facilitated the trip. “We are very grateful to the government for its support. This was truly a blessing in disguise, and it allowed us to showcase Zambia’s potential on the global stage,” he said.
Malunga however acknowledged that women’s boxing did not perform well during the year, stating that more needs to be done to develop the sport. He said efforts are underway to develop young boys and girls to take up boxing, noting that low female participation results in an unbalanced year. Malunga has since commended the government for demonstrating professionalism in the handling of sports matters, saying the commitment gives confidence and a very bright future for sports in the country.
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