▁supporting ▁him . ▁ ▁Box ing ▁career ▁M w ale ▁began ▁his ▁career ▁at ▁Rh ok ana ▁Am ateur ▁Box ing ▁Club ▁in ▁Kit we ▁and ▁first ▁entered ▁the ▁ring ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁ 1 6 . ▁He ▁soon ▁fell ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁the ▁sport ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁he ▁joined ▁Z amb ia ▁Army - sp ons ored ▁Green ▁Buff alo es ▁Box ing ▁Club , ▁he ▁was ▁already ▁a ▁form id able ▁amateur ▁box er . ▁He ▁re igned ▁as ▁middle weight ▁champion ▁in ▁East ▁and ▁Central ▁Africa ▁and ▁was ▁appointed ▁captain ▁of ▁the ▁Z amb ia ▁national ▁box ing ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁That ▁same ▁year , ▁Z amb ia ’ s ▁new ▁golden ▁boy , ▁who ▁would ▁be ▁known ▁for ▁some ▁controvers y ▁during ▁his ▁career ▁spark ed ▁off ▁a ▁row ▁with ▁officials ▁during ▁a ▁tri angular ▁box ing ▁tournament ▁involving ▁Z amb ia , ▁Ken ya ▁and ▁Z aire ▁when ▁he ▁lost ▁a ▁fight ▁against ▁a ▁Ken yan ▁box er ▁and ▁later ▁claimed ▁that ▁he ▁‘ just ▁didn ’ t ▁want ▁to ▁win .’ ▁An ▁inqu iry ▁was ▁almost ▁instit uted ▁until ▁M w ale ▁apolog ised . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁M w ale ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁Z amb ia ’ s ▁cont ing ent ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁Commonwealth ▁Games ▁ ▁in ▁Christ ch urch , ▁New ▁Zealand ▁as ▁a ▁light ▁middle weight . ▁He ▁power ed ▁his ▁way ▁into ▁the ▁quarter - final