Pharmanova Lim¬ited has offered the country's only profes¬sional boxer Agnes Mtimau¬kanena a one-year sponsor¬ship of K1.2 million.

The deal was sealed on Friday at the company's premises, Ginnery Corner, Blantyre in the presence of the company's top manage¬ment team and the two par¬ties' legal advisor, Ishmael Wadi.

Pharmanova managing director Yusuf Patel said the sponsorship was made in the wake of the boxer's achieve¬ments having won the female World Boxing Forum belt.

"Agnes is the boxing champion. She is an admi¬rable lady in respect of physi¬cal outlook. She is strong and punches her opponent very hard. Similarly Pharmanova is a leading pharmaceutical company in Malawi. That is one of the reasons why the company has chosen to work with Agnes for us to promote her and for her to promote our products," Patel said.

Patel also said the spon¬sorship was part of the com¬pany's obligation to help the society.

"Pharmanova, like most other successful business enterprises, believes that it cannot exist without its custom¬ers and there is a noble neces¬sity to give back to society. Our promotion contract is part of the execution of that responsibility," he said.

Wadi said the deal would give a chance to minority sport to develop.

"The sponsorship is very cru¬cial as it is a starting point where not only boxing but also other sporting discplines such as ath¬letics can be considered for such sponsorship," Wadi said.

Steve Msiska, the boxer's promoter promised that Mtimau¬kanena would be associated with the brand wherever she goes.

"I would like to express my sincerely gratitude to Pharmano¬va for the sponsorship. I would like to assure you that wherever she goes she will represent you," Msiska said.

Mtimaukanena also said she would help to promote Phar¬manova products.

"I will do my best as a brand ambassador for Phar¬manova to promote their products," Mtimaukanena said.

"I am lucky that I have medicine with me now."