NELSON VOWS TO ‘CLAIM MWALE’S SCALP’

NELSON VOWS TO ‘CLAIM MWALE’S SCALP’

…Ghanaian boxer says he is here to take the WBC bantamweight title

By Cecilia Nayame

IAM here to take the belt to Ghana because this time around I have come with full force, Ghanaian boxer Michael Nelson has said.

Nelson is in the country to face Zambia’s David ‘Sniper’ Mwale in a World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight title fight.

Speaking during the face to face event in Lusaka yesterday, Nelson said he would leave nothing to chance during the fight set for June 28, 2025 at the Government Complex.

He said the time he was spending in the gym would not go to waste.

“I am very much ready for the fight. Be rest assured that I am taking the belt to Ghana,” Nelson said.

He said he would not be intimidated fighting in front of a hostile and partisan crowd.

“I have been watching his fights on YouTube, he is a very very good boxer and I give him respect. I have learnt one or two things from his fighting skill and I need to work on it to match up,” he said.

But Mwale said he would not underrate Nelson.

He expressed confidence that his ‘blackout punch’ would send the Ghanaian boxer into early retirement.

“I have been praying that one day I should become a world champion and that time has finally come. No one trains for a loss but always trains for a win,” Mwale said.

He called on fans to turn up in numbers and witness the historical fight.

“I thank God that he [Nelson] is finally here, but today I will not say much…all I am appealing for, is to all my fans to come in numbers and witness for themselves,” he said.

Mwale said his target was to go all the way to the 12th round.

“I have been preparing for this fight since last year. My target is to put in a good fight, but again I will not underrate my opponent because all I am looking forward to is to apply my black out punch that all,” he said.

“In my previous fights, I had used Sando Punch as well as Electricity Punch but this time around I am going for a Blackout Punch and I mean it,” he added.

Quarries Boxing Promotions (OQBP) manager Christopher Malunga assured Nelson of a transparent fight.

He said the home team would accept the result.

“I can assure you that the fight will be transparent. If you win it, it will be given to you, nothing to worry about because we have always been transparent,” he said.

He said all the arrangements remained the same apart from the change in dates.

“All is well, we are looking forward to staging a successful event. If we will need anything, we will still go back to Government and ask them to bail us out,” he said.

He commended sponsors for supporting the fight.

“Otherwise, yesterday we received our brother from Ghana. I am assured that he is 100 percent fit and ready for the fight. He [Nelson] is a seasoned fighter and we are all looking forward to the big day,” he said.

The WBC fight was initially set for June 21 but has been pushed to June 28 following the extension of the period of national mourning in honour of former president Edgar Lungu.