FRANCIS CHEKA RIGHT AND DANIEL WANYONYI KENYA.
By Majuto OmaryThe Citizen Reporter.
Dar es Salaam. A day after the Tanzania Professional Boxing Organisation (TPBO) slapped a life ban on Francis Cheka, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Africa Inter Continental Super middleweight champion has described the move as ridiculous.
Cheka, who was to face Japhet Kaseba in a non-title bout on Saturday, did not show up to the dismay of thousands of fans who paid to witness the fight at the National Stadium.
However, Cheka, who has yet to lose a bout for over three years, said his decision not to go to the ring for a date against Kaseba stems from the fact that the contract he signed was to fight an Egyptian boxer on the very day.
Cheka said the fight against the Egyptian was sanctioned by the Tanzania Professional Boxing Commission (TPBC), thus the TPBO had nothing to do with it and therefore had no right to impose the suspension on him.
“I never signed any contract to fight Kaseba, the only one I signed was to face the Egyptian and I expected to meet him in the ring, but they replaced him with the former in the eleventh hour, so the TPBO’s decision is laughable.” he said.
The Morogoro boxer told The Citizenyesterday that the TPBO’s decision to ban him was a blessing in disguise, describing the action as laughable.
The pound-for-pound boxer also claimed that the TPBO should also thank him for playing a crucial role in promoting them.
“They were nothing in yesteryears, but through organising bouts that featured me they are currently known in the country, thus they have to acknowledge my contribution,” he said.
Cheka issued a warning in May that he was not ready to fight Kaseba whom he described as a mediocre boxer, but the TPBO ignored the warning and stepped up preparations for the bout.
The boxer, who had earlier on the day took part in the weighing session to give an impression that he would honour the bout, said he did not intend to offend boxing fans. Cheka’s opponent Kaseba who lost a competitive bout in 2010 expressed his disappointment over the no show.
Kaseba had won a TPBO bout over Maneno Osward, a move he believes might have frightened Cheka who has not lost a bout in the last four years.
“I was sure to knock him out in the ring and that is the reason he opted not to show up last Saturday,” said Kaseba. The TPBO has been struggling to rebuild its image following the 2008 Port Louis narcotics scandal that rocked the boxing fraternity in the country.
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