The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Majuto Omary
3 July 2008
Tanzanian boxer Francis Cheka is expected to fight Russian claimant Kuvanych Toygonbayev to compete for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) at the end of this month in Moscow.
Cheka who holds Universal Boxing Organization (UBO) light middleweight title said he is looking forward to claim the vacant WBO crown.
The Cheka-Toygonbayev 12-round clash will be Cheka's first test outside the African continent.
The fight has been organized by promoters German Titov and Yusupov Rinat, he said, noting that he would leave the country on July 14, to acclimatise ahead of the showdown a fortnight later.
"I'm training very hard to win the title bout in Russia, to have double crown.
I would polish my reputation and raise the image of our country," said Cheka.
The Dar boxer said his intention is to improve performance and reinforcing his career as a good boxer from the East African region.
He said his ambition is to excel in high profile boxing tourneys by seeking to clinch a title in each of the main global boxing bodies, namely the World Boxing Council (WBC), the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and the World Boxing Association (WBA).
Being the only professional boxer in East and Central Africa, Cheka says this is the right opportunity for him to raise his profile as a formidable boxer from the region.
Cheka believes that most boxers in the region and elsewhere in Africa were avoiding him, compelling him to seek challenges beyond the continent.
Other fights to be held at the same venue on that day involve Sherzod Hussanov and Sintung Kietbusaba for the vacant WBC Asian Boxing Council light middleweight title.
Vyacheslav Gusev is paired to meet Chaiyong Sithsaidthong in the featherweight title, he added.
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