BOXERS IN MAJOR BOOST

…as boxing expert Karl Whalley joins Commonwealth Games squad 

By BENEDICT TEMBO

BRITISH boxing expert Karl Whalley has joined Zambia’s Commonwealth Games squad, bringing vast experience and a measured optimism as the countdown to Glasgow 2026 intensifies.

Whalley, a former British National Champion, Centurian, International Referee, and England’s Lead Coach Educator, is working closely with local coaches Ariel Banda, Charles Kangwa, and Maybin Gunduzani to prepare Zambia’s four-member boxing team: Emmanuel Katema, Catherine Mwape, Mwengo Mwale and Albert Ngulube.

“The training profile that the Zambian Boxing Team is now following is bespoke to each individual boxer, combining natural flair and skill with the latest training techniques,” Whalley explained.

Yet, he remains cautious: “Delivering the finest boxing training to the talent we have, combined with the powerful desire for medals, does not guarantee gold. Boxing remains one of, if not the hardest sport in the world.”

Whalley’s involvement follows years of discussions with the National Olympic Committee/Commonwealth Games Association of Zambia (NOC/CGA).

His military commitments previously prevented him from joining, but NOCZ Secretary General Boniface Kambikambi renewed the invitation ahead of the squad’s training in Lusaka.

Since arriving, Whalley has forged strong ties with the Zambian Boxing Federation and built friendships within the team.

Preparations for Glasgow 2026 have intensified, with athletes across five disciplines - athletics, boxing, judo, swimming, and bowling - engaged in specialised programmes.

A pre Games training camp in Northern Ireland is also planned. Team Zambia will feature 22 athletes, evenly split between men and women, reflecting the country’s commitment to gender equality in sport.

For Whalley, the challenge is clear: to blend Zambia’s natural boxing flair with world class training methods and help the team contend for medals on one of sport’s biggest stages.

With approximately 3, 000 athletes from 74 nations expected in Glasgow, Zambia’s boxers will face fierce competition.

But with Whalley’s expertise and the commitment of local coaches, the signs, as he put it, “are all positive.”

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