Friday, February 7, 2025

Elite amateur boxers dust off gloves for national championships

There will be all to fight for this weekend as the country’s elite amateur boxers descend on the Lobatse Sports Complex’s Multi Purpose Hall for the semi finals and finals of the Keone Mooka Mageu National Boxing Champions.
In what promises to be a very interesting weekend for boxing, at least 16 bouts in the men’s semi finals are expected to be fought on Saturday, with the winners expected to battle it out to be crowned national champions on Thursday.
With the majority of the well known pugilists having avoided each other for the forthcoming semi finals, some very interesting bouts are expected come Sunday, bar any surprises.
However, all is not lost for the semi finals as some interesting bouts will come up. In a semifinal bout that is deemed to be the pick of the cream, senior national team boxer, Tirafalo Seoko, will come face to face with upcoming talent, Kabelo Bagwasi, in the Bantam Weight (56 kg) category.
With Seoko already having been on the receiving end of the young Bagwasi, who is deemed as the man likely to replace him in the national team, the bout between the two is expected to be fierce.
Enroute to setting a date with Seoko, Bagwasi has been ruthless, something he showed in his quarter final where he knocked out Thapediso Bareeleng in the 2nd round of their bout.
Against the hard hitting Bagwasi, Seoko will have to be at his best to avoid giving national team selectors reasons not to drop him from the national team in favor of the talented youngster.
Other semi final bouts likely to catch the eye will be the Welter Weight (69 kg) category fight between Keoagile Rantutu of SSKB boxing club and Lentswe Zwinila of Glenn Valley Boxing Club, as well as the Middle Weight (75 kg) fight between TAB’s Lucky Mogwera and EMG’s Zibani Chikanda.
The last semi final bout of the day that also has all the ingredients to thrill will see another youngster and a pretender to the Light Heavy Weight (81 kg) throne in the country, Thabang Motsewabeng of DTCB, come against veteran boxer, Tsenang Mohuhutso of Glenn Valley Boxing Club.
In the women’s category, female national team boxers had it easy as they breezed towards the finals. While the likes of Pearl Morake won as was expected, it was however the Women’s 2014 Africa Youth Games team that impressed as they won their bouts. The team members, who used the games to prepare for next year’s games which will be hosted by Botswana, coasted to victory to continue their preparations.
While there is still a long way to go before they can be world beaters, the five young ladies, namely Joyce Katlholo (48 kg), Koketso Dipogiso (51 kg), Keamogetse Kenosi (60 kg), Emily Tshoswane (54 kg) and Orapeleng Ketshametsi (57 kg) showed good technical and tactical ability as they beat their opponents. Meanwhile, the semi finals of the Keone Mooka Mageu National Championships will be played on Saturday, with the finals billed for Sunday.

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