By TERENCE MISELO
2007 All-Africa Games winner at junior welter boxing Hastings Bwalya famously known as ‘ Sting’ is set to launch a boxing stable called ‘ Team Sting Promotions’ as a way of contributing to the sport following his absence from active boxing.

Bwalya who holds a comfortable record of a 7-0 (5 KOs) as a professional, and represented the country at various competitions including the famous Summer Olympics in 2008 and the 2009 Southern and East Africa Amateur Boxing to name only a few wants to share his career experience by giving back to his country.

Speaking in an exclusive interview, Bwalya whose skillful fighting and dedication to boxing earned him a four-year professional career in Las Vegas, America where he had 12 fights recording all wins with 11 knock outs, says he is taking up boxing promotion and mentorship to help change the sport in the country.
“ I currently have seven boxers I am mentoring and we are ready to set up the Team Sting Promotions boxing stable. As you know, I returned to Zambia from professional boxing career in America in 2013. From that time till last year, I have been away from active boxing due to injury but I am now back to share my experience,” says Bwalya who is also a boxing trainer and instructor at Lifestyle and Fitness Gym at East Park Mall.

“I am of course, not just targeting professional boxers but my legacy and experience is being passed on to the general public who have invested in health and fitness. I am promoting the sport as an instructor at Lifestyle and Fitness Gym. This is one of greatest moments I am having especially training individuals who love the sport,” he says.
Bwalya insists that his decision to open up a boxing promotions is meant to change some of the negatives about the sport and improve the general lifestyle of boxers.

“ I am going in promotion to help improve on things like purse money for boxers. Most promoters don’t put in much and I want to change this scenario. I have seen that generally boxers have a poor lifestyle but my contribution will be to change these things because I know what boxers go through. It is important to me because I am a boxer,” Bwalya insists.

He says he will mainly bank on his many connections he established while in the States to push the sport forward.

“ As you know I have a lot of connections in international boxing and I would like Zambian boxers to benefit from this. My stay in Las Vegas helped me interact with the likes Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Tyson and other top boxers. My managers were highly professional and I have learnt a lot to share with my country here,” Bwalya boasts, adding that in all this undertaking, he is grateful to his sponsors and partners like Lifestyle and Fitness Gym who he says have the wonderful training facilities.

“ I also wish to thank the chief executive officer for Focus Real Estates Mr Mubanga Mulilo for partnering with me to see the Sting Promotions come in existence. We are glad for the support and are calling on all those who believe in Team Sting to come on board. We are excited that there are a lot of amateur boxers that want to get inspired from my work,” concludes Bwalya.