NEW kid on the block, Catherine Phiri's opponent in the March 23 World Professional Boxing Federation (WPBF) Bantamweight defence title fight, Leslie Domingo of the Philippines, is expected in Zambia on Tuesday next week.

The 18-year-old boxer who has a record of five fights, four wins three via knockouts (KO), and a draw, will arrive in the country in the company of her trainer Delma Jeephel, while her manager Fredreca Siao would join the crew on Thursday.

Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotion (OQBP) operations director Chris Malunga said at a Press briefing at Southern Sun Ridgeway Hotel in Lusaka that Domingo would jet in on Tuesday March 19, with her trainer.

Malunga said the rest of the fight officials would arrive on Thursday in readiness for the weigh-in ceremony on Friday at Southern Sun pool side.

He named the officials as Alexander Anatovou of South Africa and Richard Tembo from Zambia.

The judges are Willem Davids of South Africa and Christopher Mwandila and William Sekeleti both from Zambia.

Malunga said Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions has raised KR275,000 of the KR 405,000 required to successfully stage the fight, but was hopeful that the KR130,000 shortfall would be met before the D-day and appealed to companies to come on board and help the promoter raise the remaining amount.

And WPBF champion, Catherine said she had an opportunity to watch Domingo in the ring, and that she learnt that her opponent was a counter punch boxer.

She said she was more than ready for the fight, adding that she had been in camp for more than two months and she had gained the momentum.

"I am very much ready for the bout. I have been in camp for two months, everything is set; I promise my fans a good fight and I am sure am going to defend my belt," Phiri said.

And Catherine's trainer Mike Zulu said his boxer had been training since her last fight against Canadian boxer, Natalie Forget.

Zulu said it was difficult to predict whether his boxer would win the fight via knockout, but his boxer had been preparing well and promised the fans a good fight.