Another young life and a promising career cut short! To say 2018 has not been a kind year to the Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) is an understatement.
A month after bidding farewell to Resego Moseki who was stabbed to death, the BoBA family was back at the resting place yesterday to bid farewell to yet another promising pugilist, Ofentse “The Tabulator” Kompone.
At just 25 years of age, Kompone, who met his untimely death during a fatal head on road accident in the A1 road next to Nywane Dam in the outskirts of Lobatse, was a star on the rise.
“We are saddened by the loss of our young and promising coach, we thank his family and his employer’s the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) for nurturing such great talent in boxing,” BoBA Public Relations Officer Taolo Tlouetsile said when paying tribute to the fallen pugilist.
“Kompone was a very committed and hard working young man and his demise leaves a very huge in local boxing. He was bringing up future stars who took pride in him and without him they are going to struggle as they looked up to him,” his friend and fellow coach Master Luza observed.
‘We hail the king of the boxing ring! The name Kompone brought standing ovation when the Botswana National anthem was sung for him far away and in our own shores. This is called greatness, but what is greatness? It is when you do little things with great love!’ his former coach Willoughby Mosweu said pouring out his heart in words.
As we close this chapter on this great journey cut short, we take a few steps back to remember and reflect on your journey.
A local southpaw fighter of repute, Kompone began his boxing journey way back in the mid 2000s as a student at Ipelegeng Junior School, before proceeding to Lobatse Senior Secondary School.
The latter is the same school that produced Botswana’s boxing stars in the likes of Thapelo and Thebe Setlalekgosi , Khumiso Kgopolang and Bathusi Mogajane, just to name a few.
His emergence as a force in local boxing can however be traced to the rich in history boxing stable of BMC Boxing Club.
This is where he honed his boxing skills alongside local greats such as Commonwealth Games medallists Gilbert “Killer” Khunwane and Lechedzani ‘Master’ Luza.
From BMC, Kompone headed to the Sir Seretse Khama Barracks Boxing Stable, where he would then go on to graduate as a club coach under the tutelage of former national team coach Johannes “Jones” Ditlhabang.
Alongside his trophy and medals laden career, Kompone also represented the country in the ring and had competed at World Youth Championships at Azerbaijan.
According to Tlouetsile, the loss of Kompone was not only felt in BoBA but also the nation which has lost a great soldier who was devoted to all he set his mind on.
The star was laid to rest in his home village Lotlhakane east this weekend.
