🇹🇭 2nd World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Thailand from May 24 to June 2, 2024
GOOD SHOW AFRICA
Nine African boxers proceed to round of 32 and an equal number stumble as the battle for Paris Olympic hots up in Bangkok
DR Congo’s Steve Kulenguluka and Zambia’s Stephen Zimba were the toast of Africa as nine boxers punched their way to the round of 32 with nine others eliminated on the third day of the ongoing final world Paris Olympics boxing qualifiers at the Huamark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sunday (May 26).
The total number of African winners has now swelled to 19 while 29 have so far lost their fights with 44 boxers remaining to fight it out for the 51 available quotas – 28 for men and 23 for women – in the one-week tournament that has attracted 578 boxers from 132 countries comprising the five continents namely Africa, Asia, Europe, Americas and Oceania.
DR Congo’s double gold medallist in the Africa Elite Championships and reigning African Games champion Steve Kulenguluka and Zambia’s Commonwealth Games silver medallist Stephen Zimba put up a dominant display of power punching to win their fights inside the distance.
Kulenguka needed just one minute 14 seconds of the second round to knock out Sweden’s Kevin Scott in the light-middleweight berth while Zimba KO’d Cape Verde’s Bruno Fernandes in two minutes 14 seconds of the third round in an all-African affair.
The other seven African boxers to move on to the round of 32 are Ghana’s light-middleweight Henry Malm who outpointed Libya’s Mohammed Bilrrashid in another all-African bout, Mozambican Commonwealth Games silver medallist Tiago Muxanga beat Kendu Steven of Papua New Guinea by a unanimous decision, Algeria’s Youcef Yaiche, a bronze medallist at the 2022 Africa Elite Championships, outpointed Italy’s Salvatore Cavallaro, Ghana’s Henry Malm defeated Libya’s Bilrrashid all bouts in the light-middleweight class.
At light-welterweight, Morocco’s skipper and a gold medallist at the 2019 African Games Abdelhaq Nadir was on top of his game in winning 5-0 against Sweden’s Mikael Broman, Mauritius’ Commonwealth Games silver medallist and Mandela Cup gold medal winner Richarno Colin, who’s aiming to qualify for his fourth Olympic Games, maintained his immaculate performance to outpoint 5-0 Guyana’s Joel Williamson, DRC’s African Games
champion Hassan Kabengela, a cousin to Mbaya Mulumba who remained behind owing to personal commitments, saw off Fiji’s Rokobuli Elia and Ghana’s Commonwealth Games silver medallist and African Games champion Joseph Commey sailed through without throwing a punch following the withdrawal of Ukraine’s Shpetim Bajoku.
Namibia’s most decorated amateur boxer Jonas Junius Jonas had planned to make a forceful comeback to big-time boxing since last representing his country at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham but it all went up in smoke when he lost on points 4-1 to Iran’s Ali Habibinezhad in the light-welterweight division.
Jonas, Africa’s sole boxing gold medallist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia and 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, was among the nine African boxers who lost their fights, and this means their Olympic dreams have now been shattered.
Other losers are Mozambican African Games silver medallist Bernado Marime beaten by Brazil’s Santos Clesisson, Liberia’s Frederick Kiwitt who gave away a walkover to Cuba’s Jorge Cuellar, Libya’s Mohammed Bilrrashid, Cape Verde’s Bruno Fernandes, Kenya’s Africa bronze medallist Boniface Mogunde proved no match for Ireland’s more refined Commonwealth Games light-middleweight champion Aidan Walsh, Morocco’s African Games silver medallist Yassine El Ouarz lost on points to Puerto Rico’s Angel Gabriel, Shain Boniface of the Seychelles lost 5-0 by Canada’s Junior Petangui and long-serving Mauritius international Merven Clair was beaten by 2021 world champion in Belgrade Yuri Zakharieiev from Ukraine. He sustained an injury in the first round and the doctor decided he couldn’t continue.
With Clair out, Richarno Colin is now the only boxer left carrying the hopes of the Indian Ocean Island nation while Africa super-heavyweight silver medallist and two-time Sportsman of the Year Keddy Evans is now the sole Seychellois boxer remaining in the competition following the elimination of Shain Boniface.
📸 Mauritius’ Richarno Colin (right) was in the driver’s seat during this light-welterweight bout to sail through to the round of 32 with a 5-0 points victory over Guyana’s Joel Williamson (left) in the ongoing 2nd World Olympic Qualification Tournament at the Huamark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 26.
✍🏼 AFBC Communications