Brandon Denes
Elvis Masvaure
MASVINGO – Brendon Denes, a 2:2 Political Administration student at Great Zimbabwe University (GZU), recently raised the university’s flag high during zone 4 boxing games held in Angola, winning a gold medal after a 3:0 unanimous judges point decision against his opponent from South Africa.
Also known as Boyka in the boxing circles, Denes won his first match against a boxer from Namibia and met another one from Angola in the semis.
The boxer has a total of 11 gold medals from different tournaments held in such places as Bindura in 2010, Bulawayo in 2013 and in the 2014 Masvingo youth games.
He won another medal in February this year during his first international test match in Zambia and got another chance to represent Zimbabwe after beating Phillip Masarira of Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) in Victoria Falls.
Denes told TellZim News that he started boxing at a very young age and was spotted by Charles Manyuchi doing open boxing at Chikwarakwara in Mucheke.
Manyuchi went on to mentor him before sending him for the 2010 Olympics in Bindura.
The gold medalist said he was facing challenges of funding and was asking well-wishers and GZU to help him get proper training equipment.
“I am facing funding challenges and I mostly rely on my mother who gives me some of the little she gets from her business. I thank GZU for all it has done for me and I am very confident that I can do my university more pride if I get all the necessary support,” said Denes.
He also thanked Manyuchi, Zimbabwe Boxing Federation (ZBF), Ministry of Sport, the Student Representative Council (SRC) and his career coaches; Alexander Kwangwari, Ali Phiri, and Anderson Sibanda for supporting him.sport
