WHEN I thought last week’s column had put matters to rest regarding the calibre of Esther Phiri’s recent opponent Kenyan boxer Everline Odero whom I praised as tough, Exodus Boxing Promotions director Anthony Mwamba reacted with venom-the second time in as many weeks- to last week’s column headlined “Mwamba reacts to Esther-Everline Fight.”
This time, Mwamba called to ask me; “What do you know about boxing? You don’t know anything about it and the quality of your analyses is very poor. You should stop misleading fans and the public” or words to that effect. He went further to challenge me about whether promoters were obliged to invite me to their press briefings before and or after fights.
He argued that promoters could only invite me if I was a registered official with the Zambia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board (ZPBWCB). I was quite puzzled by his emotional outburst to say the least.
To recap, last week I assured Mwamba that what I wrote about Everline was not intended to cast aspersions on him as a promoter the calibre of Everline, her trainer and the Kenyan boxing authorities. This was in clarifying the misspelling in the name of the Kenyan which made it impossible for me to find it on the respected www.boxrec.com website the first time, but I found it later after Mwamba himself gave me the correct spelling.
I would respond to Mwamba as follows. First, on the quality of my analyses, I respect his opinion since he has a right, like anyone else, to opine on any issue. I cannot be my own judge and I leave it to the readers to judge for themselves.
I would, however, ask Mwamba to answer the following questions. Why is it that Multichoice and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation have engaged my services for boxing commentaries when there are big tournaments involving Esther or Catherine Phiri, let alone pre-fight and post-fight analyses for international bouts on the DSTV show?
Maybe Mwamba can also explain why the Times of Zambia have allowed me to write this column continuously the last six years now if my work was of a low quality?
On misleading the fans, let me say that I have never, and will never intentionally write misleading articles because the truth, which I respect, is the life blood of journalism. If I make a mistake, I always correct it in the first instance.
On whether promoters were obliged to invite me to their Press briefings before and or after fights unless I was a registered official with the ZPBWCB, Mwamba would be advised to go and check the records at ZPBWCB and tell us what he will find.
He may be sorry to learn that I am registered as a boxing columnist! Perhaps he can also explain why when my services are engaged for television commentaries, I am paid at the same rate as other boxing officials recognized by the ZPBWCB?
In case he has forgotten, Mwamba should remember that he is not the first nor will he be the last promoter to be praised or criticized in this column. I have written critical articles on Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions, Mwenya Musenge Boxing Stables, the ZPBWCB, the National Sports Council of Zambia, the Ministry of Youth and Sport and the Zambia Boxing Federation before and none of the officials from these institutions reacted with vitriol like Mwamba has done.
The question is, why didn’t they react with anger? Because they respect freedom of the Press which is sacrosanct for promotion of checks and balances and thereby accountability. I’m afraid  if Mwamba continues to organize tournaments like the recent one which endangered the safety of boxers who fought on a slippery canvas, no respectable programme brochure for the event among other shortcomings, this column will continue to expose such weaknesses. mwale.simon@yahoo.co.uk   0966 755574/0953744074