Volume 55 Issue 1- January-February 2017 : Sports
The slow but steady rise of Zibani Chikanda
Author : Baleseng Batlotleng
After many frustrating years of blood and sweat, 31 year-old Zibani Chikanda`s patience and hard work is finally paying off.
The Mathangwane born pugilist has over the recent past carved his name in the hearts of boxing fans dominating his opposition each time he has stepped into the ring. Inside the boxing ring Chikanda has undoubtedly proved that he has certainly matured like fine wine having experienced a stellar 2015 season.
For his efforts the soft spoken Ganda-Ganda, as he is affectionately known has been bestowed with the prestigious Botswana Boxing Association boxer of the year award second year running. Hot on the heels of this mouthwatering feat Chikanda is fresh from being conferred Botswana National Sport Commission`s Sportsman of the Year.
It wasn`t at all easy. He remembers when he nearly took a decision to quit the sport after he was dropped from the national team due to a slump in form.
His boxing career started in 2002 at McConnell Senior School in Tutume when he first put on his gloves and started learning a thing or two of the sweet science of bruising. It was his elder brother Buzani Chikanda who saw the potential in him and forced him to abandon volleyball, a sport he passionately played at school.
After completing senior school Chikanda took a break from the sport and like many other fresh faced form five leavers, looked for permanent employment or an opportunity to further his studies. In 2007 he was enlisted by the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) for recruit training and upon completion he continued with amateur boxing with the Eastern Military Garrison boxing club.
The latter was a breeding ground for some of the finest boxers in the mold of stocky and hard hitting Oteng Phatshwe, the tricky Gaolathe Mpotsang just to mention but a few.
When Chikanda arrived at this great club his name was barely mentioned as a candidate to prosper until his first national team call up in 2009. Chikanda immediately made his statement against the tried and tested Gomotsang Gaasite by beating him in dramatic fashion.
Those who attended the showdown attest to the fact that the scorecards were not even close as Gaasite succumbed in the last round. Gaasite, commonly known as 48 in boxing circles had an impressive record in the ring easily comparable to a certain wrestler in West African fiction, Amalinze the Cat. For a very long time he was unbeaten.
From that day Chikanda has had mixed fortunes in the ring but revived his career at last year`s Zone VI championships in Pretoria bringing home gold in the under 75kg category. Chikanda travelled to Congo Brazzaville and scooped bronze in the closely contested All Africa Games.
He went on to stamp his authority in Morocco during the Africa Cup but stopped by the bully North Africans in the finals and settled for silver medal.
The second spot meant he had to travel to Doha, Qatar for the biennial AIBA World Boxing Championships, where he faced tough opposition from the world`s best of the best.