▁Manager ▁had ▁no ▁hes itation ▁in ▁sum ming ▁up ▁M w ale ▁as ▁‘ the ▁best ▁operator ▁at ▁the ▁Games .’ ▁ ▁Many ▁fight - go ers ▁predicted ▁that ▁M w ale ▁had ▁the ▁potential ▁and ▁class ▁to ▁do ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁professional ▁if ▁he ▁ever ▁felt ▁like ▁dro pping ▁his ▁amateur ▁status ▁but ▁he ▁took ▁his ▁time ▁before ▁taking ▁this ▁step . ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁he ▁won ▁a ▁gold ▁medal ▁during ▁the ▁East ▁and ▁Central ▁African ▁Am ateur ▁Box ing ▁Championship ▁in ▁L us aka , ▁and ▁the ▁following ▁year , ▁Z amb ia ▁d eth ron ed ▁world ▁champions ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁the ▁International ▁Council ▁of ▁Military ▁Sports ▁( C IS M ) ▁Games ▁and ▁M w ale , ▁fighting ▁as ▁a ▁middle weight , ▁was ▁voted ▁box er ▁of ▁the ▁tournament . ▁He ▁then ▁talked ▁of ▁turning ▁professional ▁but ▁sh el ved ▁his ▁plans ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁National ▁Def ence ▁Force ▁which ▁was ▁only ▁due ▁to ▁end ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁ ▁M w ale ▁turned ▁professional ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁under ▁Sc or pio ▁Prom ot ions , ▁turning ▁down ▁a ▁five - year ▁contract ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁America ▁saying ▁he ▁wanted ▁to ▁fight ▁for ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁and ▁African ▁titles ▁before ▁thinking ▁of ▁something ▁bigger , ▁and ▁hoped ▁to ▁move ▁from ▁middle weight ▁to ▁heavy weight ▁division . ▁His ▁first ▁professional ▁bout ▁was ▁against ▁F an well ▁M w anza ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 7