Mpolokeng ready to down Kupani
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday October 4, 2024 16:11
The Super International Bantamweight title will be on the line as the two boxers take to the ring in an eight-round contest. The battle between the two boxers will be the main bout for the third edition of the Boxing Fight Night Championship organised by Bond Boxing Promotions. Mpolokeng has been in seven fights picking one knockout, one loss, and five wins. His opponent has one win from the only match that he competed in last year. Mpolokeng is motivated after winning his last fight against South African boxer, Mandla Simanga, in October 2023. “The preparations for the bout have been good. I cannot complain. I have been in a training camp for the past eight weeks. I am looking forward to an interesting contest because I have never fought Kupani before. It is also an honour for me to be in the main bout,” he said.
Mpolokeng said he expects an easy fight because he has watched videos of his opponent and knows how to prepare. Another interesting contest will be between local boxer, Mmusi Tswiigi and Thembani Mhlanga from South Africa in the International Middleweight. Tswiigi goes into the bout with the wind on his sail after picking a win on his professional debut, where he beat South African boxer, Semphiwe Ntombela, in the welterweight division last year. Tswiigi told MmegiSport that he was ready for the bout and preparations had been going according to plan. “I am looking forward to tonight's fight with confidence. If I get a chance I am going for a knockout (KO) because that will beef up my profile in this sport. I started professional boxing last year. It has been going well but sponsorship is a challenge, which leads to a shortage of events in the country,” he said.
The promoter of the event, Bond Ngubula, said everything is set and they are just waiting for the first bout to start. “The Fight Night Championship will be live on Botswana Television (BTV). Boxers from Zimbabwe arrived on Tuesday and the other boxers from outside our borders arrived on Wednesday evening,” he said. Ngubula said he has learnt a lot after one event was cancelled in April. He said although the event was cancelled due to circumstances beyond his control, he holds a clean record as a promoter. He said in 10 years, he has cancelled only two events, with the other one being due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ngubula said professional boxing in Botswana has the potential to grow but challenges such as sponsorship make it difficult to progress. He said without sponsorship it is impossible to invite top boxers to come and compete with local boxers. In the national featherweight, local fighter, Tshephang Gomotho, clashes against his counterpart, Onkarabile Mothibedi, whilst in the international featherweight, Botswana's Kagoetsile Raokgwathile is up against Talent Munda from Zimbabwe. Two local boxers, Keamogetse Ditodi and Aobakwe Mphezulu, face each other for the national junior lightweight.