Local boxers steal the show
Calistus Kolantsho | Wednesday October 9, 2024 08:59
All eyes were on the main bout where Thabiso Mpolokeng stopped Zimbabwean boxer, Shungu Kupani, for the win in the eight rounds Super International Bantamweight contest. The two boxers seemed to have gone into the match with the same game plan, waited for the opponent to attack before they could fight back. At one moment, the referee had to caution the boxers in order for them to box. The battle between the two did not produce sparks that were expected from them, the match was slow to a point that spectators walked out of the arena and by the time the fight ended, half the arena was empty.
Mpolokeng is normally a counter attacker and the same style was displayed by the visiting Kupani. Mmusi Tswiigi had to dig deep to win the International Middleweight four round contest against Thembani Mhlanga of South Africa. It was clear from the beginning of the match that Mhlanga was a heavy hitter, fortunately Tswiigi made sure that the attack landed on his guards. Tswiigi used his expertise to hit, score and step back to avoid punishment by his opponent. The ever versatile Kagoetsile Raokgwathile picked his second knockout in professional boxing when he levelled Talent Munda from Zimbabwe in the International Featherweight contest. The match ended in round two of the six rounds due to a lot of body shots that Raokgwathile was punishing his opponents with. Raokgwathile shocked the local professional boxing fraternity when he knocked out former World Boxing Federation (WBF) Super Bantamweight International Champion, Onkarabile Mothibedi, in his debut in 2023. An entertaining clash was witnessed between Tshephang 'Rambo' Gomotho against Mothibedi in the six rounder National Featherweight contest.
The two boxers put up a brilliant show that gave the boxing lovers value for their money. Mothibedi was well trimmed unlike the last bout when he was struggling with weight. Gomotho emerged the winner from the closely contested bout. Aobakwe Mphezulu picked victory in the National Junior Lightweight six rounds contest against Keamogetse Ditodi. The event promoter, Bond Ngubula told SportMonitor that he was impressed with the brilliant performance by the boxers. He said the event went according to plan despite a few logistical hiccups. “Boxing lovers enjoyed the show, the boxers gave them a spectacle, we had some members of the audience who were watching boxing for the first time, some thought it is similar to street fight. But we showed them the crème that we have in this country.
Our sponsors were happy that we stood up to our promise, we printed t-shirts that had all our sponsors’ logos, we supplied our boxers with new trunks with sponsors logos because this was a television show, they had to look smart and give millage to our sponsors,” he said. Ngubula said he was hopeful that in the next event, they will be able to attract more sponsors.