Catherine Phiri’s WPBF Title fight; My boxer had an injury- Domingo’s trainer Japheel

WPBF championship title Catherine Phiri fight

I had to protect my boxer because she was fighting with a shoulder injury says Leslie Domingo’s trainer Delima Japheel after the Philippine was made to surrender in the second round of the WPBF Bantamweight title fight against Catherine Phiri last night.
Japheel said after the fight that he had no option but to throw in the towel to protect Domingo who was challenging Phiri for the World Professional Boxing Federation title at Lusaka’s new government complex .
Japheel said he knew her boxer very well and that she stood no chance on the night against strong Phiri.
“Catherine was too good for her. She is very strong and a good boxer. But I know my boxer very well. She couldn’t fight because she had an injury. She got injured when she was sparring in training before the fight,” Japheel said.
Japheel was forced to throw the towel in the ring just a few second of round two to signal the end of the fight which Phiri was clearly dominating.
Phiri said she was happy to have defended her belt and was now awaiting for her next challenger.
She said she was confident of a win even before stepping into the ring because of the training she underwent.
Phiri’s coach Mike Zulu said his boxer showed that she can still get better if not becoming the best in the country.
Zulu said Phiri had improved from her previous fight responded well to what she had been taught in the gym.
“After the the previous fight we want back to the gym to improve on her weaknesses. We were working on power punches which she showed tonight,” Zulu said.
In the earlier fight Francis “Galagata” Zulu’s return to the ring was successful when he beat Rocky Kaleng on unanimous point decision in a heavyweight non-title international fight.
But match of the night was the welterweight non-title bout where Charles Manyuchi outclassed Osgood Kayuni of Malawi.
Manyuchi was the darling of the crowd as his entertaining skills got the boxing fans at the government complex cheering throughout the 10 round bout.
Manyuchi showed that he is both skillful and strong as he toyed with his opponent who had no plan to overcome the Zimbabwean boxer who is now fighting under Oriental Quarries stables.
Manyuchi did not only concentrate on beating his opponent but had time to get the crowd involved when kept on waving to them while the fight was in progress.
Other bouts also saw Gibon Kamota beat Bernard Mwango in a Bantamweight non-title fight, Maxwell Sosoka also beat Bernard Sepe in another Bantamweight non-title fight.
Both fights were decided on unanimous point decisions.
Agnes Mtimaukakena of Malawi lost to Zambia’s Lolita Muzeya in an international welterweight non-title bout while the bantamweight non-title bout between Ernest Phiri and Alfred Kaziwa ended in a draw.
Martin Manda was on a technical knock-out against Kennedy Chansa in the first round.