Lottie Mwale boxer

Lottie Mwale (14 April 1952 – 18 October 2005) was a Zambian male Light Heavyweight-class boxer who was Commonwealth and African Boxing Union champion for a period of six years. Mwale, who is Zambia’s greatest boxer, also won the World Boxing Council (WBC) International title after defeating Ray Acquaye of Ghana in eight rounds in Lusaka in December 1990.Mwale was born in Kitwe, Zambia (then Northern Rhodesia) on 14 April 1952. He grew up in Wusakile and went to Ndeke Primary School. He lived close to Scrivener Stadium, the home of Rhokana United and had a keen interest in football, playing as a goalkeeper in neighbourhood matches. He also exhibited musical ability by playing drums in his early teens, and harboured ambitions of making it in mainstream music. After taking up boxing for fun, his friends noticed his natural ability and talked him into taking it up seriously so he decided to put his hands to a different use.His brother-in-law was professional boxer Jackson Mambwe who also played a role in luring Mwale into the boxing ring, giving him his initial coaching and encouraging him to continue with the sport. Mwale's mother was not happy with his chosen path but when she realized he had set his heart on a career in boxing, she gave in and started supporting him.Mwale began his career at Rhokana Amateur Boxing Club in Kitwe and first entered the ring when he was 16. He soon fell in love with the sport and by the time he joined Zambia Army-sponsored Green Buffaloes Boxing Club, he was already a formidable amateur boxer. He reigned as middleweight champion in East and Central Africa and was appointed captain of the Zambia national boxing team in 1973. That same year, Zambia’s new golden boy, who would be known for some controversy during his career sparked off a row with officials during a triangular boxing tournament involving Zambia, Kenya and Zaire when he lost a fight against a Kenyan boxer and later claimed that he ‘just didn't want to win.’ An inquiry was almost instituted until Mwale apologised.In January 1974, Mwale was part of Zambia’s contingent to the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand as a light middleweight. He powered his way into the quarter-finals with a 102-second knockout over Cook Islander Nio Mare after which team Manager Archie Phiri said he was delighted with Mwale’s performance but he would have liked the contest to last a bit longer in order to give Mwale ‘a better work-out.’ Mwale made it into the finals with a majority points decision over Englishman Robert Davies though he suffered an injury to his right hand. An x-ray revealed that the injury was a slight sprain and this brought a sigh of relief to the Zambian camp, paving the way for the clash with Scottish champion Alexander ‘Cy’ Harrison, a bout which Mwale predicted would be ‘too easy.’ And so it proved to be as Mwale outboxed his Scottish opponent to collect the light-middleweight gold medal on a unanimous points decision, becoming the first Zambian Sportsman to reach such an achievement. Afterwards, he declared that winning the gold medal was the proudest moment of his life and that though Harrison was a good boxer, he had the measure of him and had used his reach advantage. Frank Hendry, the Scottish boxing team Manager had no hesitation in summing up Mwale as ‘the best operator at the Games.’Many fight-goers predicted that Mwale had the potential and class to do well as a professional if he ever felt like dropping his amateur status but he took his time before taking this step. In May 1975, he won a gold medal during the East and Central African Amateur Boxing Championship in Lusaka, and the following year, Zambia dethroned world champions the United States in the International Council of Military Sports (CISM) Games and Mwale, fighting as a middleweight, was voted boxer of the tournament. He then talked of turning professional but shelved his plans due to his contract with the National Defence Force which was only due to end the following year.