‘Bomber’ denied shot at Commonwealth title

By Ricky Zililo

Zimbabwe’s non-membership of the Commonwealth has denied World Boxing Federation (WBF) All-Africa heavyweight champion Elvis Moyo a title fight against Britain’s Joe Joyce.

Moyo’s camp had accepted a 10-day notice for the Bulawayo Bomber to trade leather with Joyce, a Commonwealth champion, last week but was told about the cancellation of the fight at the beginning of this week.

Despite being snubbed after putting extra work in the gym, Moyo believed getting an opportunity to fight Joyce would have opened more avenues for him.

“Obviously I’m a little bit down following the cancellation of my fight. The reason we were given was that the television station which signed for the fight wanted the bill to be a title bout. The only title that was available is the Commonwealth, which Joyce is the holder of. Because Zimbabwe is not part of the Commonwealth, I could not be sanctioned to fight for a Commonwealth fight,” said Moyo.

“From their communication, they were happy that I was prepared to fight Joyce after a 10-day notice. The most important thing is that they had started flighting my name around in the build-up to the ill-fated fight that side. It was more of free marketing for me and I think promoters in Europe now know about me and the bravery I showed by agreeing to face the Commonwealth champion when most people that side had turned him down. Very soon I should start getting calls,” he said.

The Johannesburg-based Zimbabwean pugilist had been scheduled to fight Joyce in a career-changing bill at York Hall, one of the best known boxing venues in London, on June 15.

Joyce, being promoted by David Have, has four career fights with a record of W4-KO4 and last fought in May when he beat Jamaican Lenroy Thomas inside two rounds.

Moyo wasn’t afraid of Joyce, whose stock is rising and is seemingly being pushed to go for bigger title fights.

Moyo’s record stands at W7-KO4;L5;D2.

The Bulawayo Bomber is keeping his fingers crossed that he gets a WBO Africa title fight against continental champion Richard Lati of Ghana.

“Felix Venganayi is pushing a fight for me against Lati of Ghana. I’m praying it works out because I need to keep active and enhance my chances of getting more title fights. If I don’t get a boxing fight anytime soon, it means I’ll have to wait for the EFC (Extreme Fighting Championship) fight set for September in Sun City,” Moyo said. The Chronicle