Motsewabeng dropped from national boxing squad

Thato Kala | Wednesday October 9, 2013 09:06

Budding boxing star, Kagiso Bagwasi, made the cut and is expected to carry his club form to the global boxing showpiece.  Bagwasi has been in terrific form this year and goes to Almaty buoyed by his recent Mooka Mageu National Boxing Championships triumph.

Former Olympian, Oteng Oteng carries the responsibility of guiding the youngster and two other Botswana boxers at the tournament. Oteng has previously competed in the World Championships. His coach, Ikgopoleng fancies the boxers chances after his last display at the tournament. 'He fought quite well in his first fight the first time he took part in the World Championships. He then lost the second one,' he said. Mooketsi Lekgetho and Mmusi Tsiige make up the team that will represent Botswana in Almaty. Ikgopoleng is upbeat his boxers will pass the preliminary stage and put up a strong challenge in the competition. However, an ideal preparatory camp for the coach would have been outside the country. The athletes are presently in camp in Gaborone and have been training twice a day.

They leave for Almaty on Thursday and start to take to the ring on Sunday. The World Championship is the signature event on the AIBA calendar going back 39 years. The event was held for the first time in 1974 in one of the citadels of world boxing - Havana, Cuba. It is a biennial tournament of boxers aged 19 to 40.