In countries like the United States, boxing has made fighters some of the richest sportspersons in the world. Botswana has had its fair share of amateur boxers like Lechedzani 'Master' Luza and Oteng Oteng. Whilst most join the amateur ranks, others go professional. There is a unique boxing set-up in Extension Two, Gaborone. There is a boxing gym, Kenny Hit Boxing Gym that started operating in 2017. The gym instructor and owner, Tusiime Keneth, is a professional boxing coach who used to train professional boxers at Bond Boxing Gym in Gaborone.
He told MmegiSport this week that upon arrival in Botswana from Uganda, he became assistant coach to Bond Ngubula, the owner of Bond Boxing Gym. “I realised that boxing has a lot of benefits for people who want to lose weight, and some who want to learn boxing for self-defence and what I offer are the basics of boxing. Like knowing how to fight, learning how to stay in shape, shadowboxing, hitting the punching bag, using body weight, box drills, strength and conditioning. I combine all those things which help the body achieve the proper goal for health benefit,” he said. Keneth said as a young man, he used to fight a lot and when he became a boxer, all that changed as he became obedient and disciplined. He said after learning boxing, he started respecting himself because he used to hurt people. “When you beat someone who cannot defend themselves is like beating a baby,” he added.
The coach is a former boxer in Uganda who made it to the professional ranks and used to fight for the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF). He explained that it was in 2004 when he jumped into the ring and in 2007 he started boxing for the army team until 2013. He said his dream of becoming a professional boxer was shattered due to military protocols. “I felt that I wanted something different but they wanted something else, which is when I decided to quit. After I left I started offering training to professional boxers and people who wanted to lose weight. In Botswana, people are not much into promoting the sport, even if I wanted to continue fighting the payments in professional boxing were little. I then shifted to what I am doing right now,” he said. Keneth said at Bond Gym he used to train people and professional boxers but things changed when people started coming to the gym looking for him and not the owner of the gym.
He said that caused friction between him and the gym owner, which is why he decided to set up his own gym. He said unlike other boxing gyms, he is not into boxing competitions or promoting bouts. “I do not want to quarrel with other gym owners who might think that I want to steal their boxers. No, I am doing something different. I am all about giving people boxing health benefits. Some of them are dealing with diabetes, and some hypertension, and those are the people I work with. Before I started my own place, I coached my clients at various gyms in the city. Boxing does not need a lot of equipment, you simply need a bag, pads, and weights,” Keneth said. He said boxing is a full-body workout that can have many benefits including physical health, mental health, better sleep quality, improved concentration, and focus.
