CHARLES MANYUCHI chose the eve of the super fight for the world heavyweight championship between Antony Joshua and Wladmir Klitschko, before a sell-out 90 000 crowd at Wembley tonight, to finally issue an apology for that farce in Singapore where he went down in the first round.

Manyuchi and his manager at Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions Chris Malunga finally spoke about the stunning defeat to Qudratillo Abduqaxorov of Uzbekistan in Singapore last month.

The Zimbabwean, who went into that fight as the World Boxing Council welterweight silver champion, lost his title to Abduqaxorov on March 25 despite going in as odds-on favourite.

Manyuchi’s spectacular fall from grace is still haunting him and he looked despondent and at one stage, appeared to be crying during a Press briefing in Harare.

“I can only say I am very sorry for disappointing the fans, for disappointing everyone in Zimbabwe. I think those are my words. I will get up, I will continue fighting and I will be the best and I am the best,” said Manyuchi.

His manager Malunga dismissed allegations that the match could have been fixed. “We are very disturbed as promoters and also as a manager to the boxer to hear that one of the issues, which was running on the social media (was) that the boxer sold the fight,” said Malunga. “I take full responsibility and the boxer is very apologetic for the approach to the fight.

‘’I am talking from what we have been discussing with him. I have sat down with the technical guys, especially my coach, that the technical style of fighting for the boxer has to change. ‘’I am here mostly to let you know that I know that it is very painful to lose a fight of such a nature and to a boxer like the boxer we fought in Singapore.

“It was very touching but I had to stand for the boxer, he was very emotional. He didn’t expect such a result but these things happen in sport and it’s a learning process.

“I think the boxer and the technical team have picked one or two things. And also we have picked a lot of issues that have been raised by members of the public, reporters, our fans and the Boxing Board of Control in Zimbabwe.’’

Malunga said they are lining up a non-title fight for Manyuchi before he can challenge for the silver title again. They are also still entertaining the idea of challenging for gold.