Malawi Professional Boxing Control Board (MPBCB) is another hopeless organisation that needs to put its house in order if it is to be of any relevance to the sport.
The news that MPBCB has hiked licence fees by 50 percent is not amusing considering that it has literally done nothing to develop the sport in the country.
To obtain a new license a professional boxer will pay K10, 000, up from K5,000 while trainers, to be at the boxers’ corner, will be required to pay K10, 000, up from K5,000.
To sanction a fight MPBCB, in its wisdom, feels that the promoter must pay K50, 000, up from K40, 000. We are also told that promoters and match-makers licence fee has been increased from K10, 000 to K15, 000.
These look to be small amounts, but if one adds all these figures you will find that it is not a small amount of money.
It is sad that such amounts of money will be collected by a body when its athletes have perpetually failed to build a profile on the big stage.
MPBCB need to look at themselves in the mirror and ask some tough questions to determine whether they are adding any value to the sport.
In case they do not agree with my sentiments, let them name one local boxer who is ready to challenge for international honours.
Let them cite one programme that they have initiated to add value to the sport.
There is need for our boxing control board to get serious; otherwise, Malawi professional boxing is rotten to the core.
They need to go back to the principles that govern the game instead of living in fool’s paradise pretending that Malawi boxing is making strides.
MPBCB spokesperson, Frank Chibisa, justified the increase of the fees that it is in line with the current economic situation in the country, but he should also justify how this money is used.
It is a shame and ridiculous that in this 21st century, the body is failing to set standards to develop professional boxing in the country.
It is unbelievable that some so-called professional boxers, in their tattered regalia, still fight at less than K100, 000, and yet we claim that there is a body that looks at their welfare.
A million dollar question is, why should Malawians continue embracing a body which can’t produce a superstar to fly our flag high?
We have professional boxers who cannot even afford a packet of sugar and they go to bed on an empty stomach.
It is annoying that all this is happening under the watch of a Mickey-Mouse body that masquerades as MBPCB.
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