This archive report was first published on 17 November 2019.
On November 17, 2019, Fatuma Zarika faced off against Yamileth Mercado in a highly anticipated boxing match at the Poliforo in Ciudad Cuauhtemoc, Mexico. Zarika, the reigning World Super Bantamweight champion, was looking to retain her title, which she had won in a split-point decision back in September 2018.
However, Mercado had other plans. The Mexican boxer defied all odds to dethrone Zarika via unanimous decision, becoming the first woman from the state of Chihuahua to emerge a world champion. Mercado's victory was a dominant one, with scores of 99-91, 98-92, and 98-92.
Speaking after the defeat, Zarika made a shocking admission. She claimed that she had intentionally lost the bout, stating that she couldn't see the point of keeping a belt if she couldn't make money from it. In a series of tweets, Zarika expressed her frustration with the Kenyan government's lack of support for sporting stars, saying that she had been the title holder for four years but had seen no financial benefits except from SportPesa.
"Nataka kuambia mashabiki wangu hakuna mtu yeyote napatia pole, najua kitu ambacho nimefanya na siombi msamaha kwa mtu yeyote," Zarika tweeted, roughly translating to "I wish to let my fans know that I have no apologies to make to anyone. I know what I have done."
