Only two African winners on the third day of World Olympic Qualifiers
Uganda’s Commonwealth Games quarter-finalist Joshua Takamuhebwa and Morocco’s 2019 African Games champion Abdelhaq Nadir were the only two African winners in the World Olympic Qualifiers on Tuesday, March 5, in Busto Arsizio, Italy.
The two boxers, both fighting in the light-welterweight division, now move to the round of 32 and will be in action tomorrow (March 7). Takamuhebwa meets Romania’s 2018 European U22 champion Robert Jitaru while Nadir fights World Championships bronze medallist Bhakodhur Usmonov from Tajikistan.
Out of the 68 boxers from Africa who entered the World Olympic Qualifiers in Italy, 34 have so far been eliminated.
Among the prominent African boxers who lost on Tuesday include Ghana’s Olympic Games bronze medallist Samuel Takyi, Commonwealth Games silver medallist Richarno Louis from Mauritius and compatriot Merven Clair, a gold medallist at the 2019 African Games in Rabat.
Takyi, who won bronze at the 2020 Olympics, was a shadow of the sparkling show he displayed in Tokyo, losing 5-0 to Japan’s Shion Nishiyama, Richarno Louis proved no match for World Championships bronze medallist Bakhodur Usmonov going down 4-1 and his compatriot Merven Clare was hit 5-0 by Bulgaria’s Rami Kiwan.
Algeria’s Youcef Yaiche must have learnt several lessons in losing 5-0 to reigning world welterweight champion from Uzbekistan, Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev who put up a classic show of refined boxing to maintain his march towards a place in the Paris Olympics.
Photo courtesy of IOC: Kenya’s Boniface Mogunde (right) lost to Croatia’s Peter Knezevic via second round KO in the light-middleweight division.
✍🏼 AFBC Communications