By Ramadhani Ngoda.
Pugilistic Syndicate of
Tanzania (PST) said that they alone can’t take boxing to higher stages and make
it alive without support from stakeholders despite much effort they always put
in it.
As one of the major
supporters of boxing in the country, PST has been making steps including
preparing various matches so as to provide entertainment to the supporters as
well as boosting the boxers.
“Yes, we make a lot of
effort to promote boxing in Tanzania as you can see but ourselves we can’t make
it. There must be support from other stakeholders like sponsors if we really
love boxing,” said PST general secretary, Antony Ruta.
When asked why still
some boxers live in poor lives despite being successful in the game Ruta said
that may is due to lack of plans in life by the boxers themselves. The
secretary added that one will succeed in boxing if he really takes it seriously
and not for prestige as some others do.
“If you are serious in
boxing and have plans in your life you can’t live embarrassing life” added
Ruta.
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| Francis Cheka akiwa ulingoni dhidi ya Thomas Mashali. |
One of the famous
Tanzanian boxing legends, Francis Cheka who won different tittles domestically
and international has said that despite being a legend in the sport and winning
a lot, still his life as good as of high profile boxer.
“I have won a lot but
my life still like of the one who won nothing because you fight by expecting
gate money. Not only that, you fight today and wait for four to six months to
have another fight, how could you benefit then? You can’t,” said Cheka with
lots of feelings.
Talking of his coming
fight Cheka said that he does know neither amount to be paid nor the name of
his opponent.
“I’m told I’ll have a
fight against a British but I don’t know his name yet. I also know nothing about
the amount of money I’ll earn,” he explained.
Kalama Nyilawila who
also sets for his fight against Mada Maugo in March has said that sometimes one
can think to quit boxing and keep doing other things to run life due to less
profit of it. The issue being promoters to depend on the gate revenue to pay
the boxers which sometimes fail
“Sometimes if feel like
to quit. We can’t live depending on boxing, for what? Is that money from the
gate revenue? No,” Said Nyilawila.
Speaking of defeats
that Tanzanian boxers get when fighting outside the country Nyilawila said that
is due to poor preparation by boxers themselves and their promoters because of
not being serious in it.
“We have no enough
preparation actually; you do exercises while thinking about other business.
There is no way you can be perfect,” he added.
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