The battle of intelligence, speed, endurance and power is now in the homestretch as 19 African boxers square it out in the semi-finals of the Commonwealth Games boxing tournament on Saturday (August 6) at NEC Hall, Birmingham.
Nigeria lead with four boxers in the semis, Ghana and Mozambique three each, Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa have two with Botswana, Mauritius and Uganda one each.
Ghana’s Joseph Commey celebrates following his quarter final victory
Encouragingly win or lose Africa is guaranteed of three finalists as three bouts will be an all-African affair.
Africa’s first boxer to qualify for the semis, Nigeria’s middleweight Jacinta Umunnakwe meets world championships bronze medallist Rady Gramane of Mozambique, three-time Olympian and 2011 African Games gold medallist Richarno Colin from Mauritius will face Ghana’s light-welter Abdul Wahib Omar with Tanzania’s light-middle Kassim Mbundwike battling Mozambican Tiago Muxanga.
The first session starting at 10.30am (Birmingham time) has five African boxers in action.
Ghana’s Abraham Mensah (in red) versus Sri Lanka’s Rukmal Prashana in men’s bantamweight round of 16 clash
Botswana’s sensation Lethabo Modukanele will be the first one to take to the ring against England’s Demi-Jade Resztan in the minimumweight category.
“It’s a tough fight because l’m facing two opponents, the fans and the boxer but l’m psyched up for the show,” said Modukanele.
Next in the four-squared circle is Zambia’s flyweight Patrick Chinyemba (pictured below) facing India’s Amit, Mozambique world championships silver medallist Alcinda Panguane vs Australia’s Kaye Frances Scott, South Africa’s middle Simnikiwe Bongco vs Australia’s Callum Peters and Tanzania’s light-heavy Yusuf Changalawe against Scotland’s Sean Lazzerini.
Uganda’s lucky girl Teddy Nakimuli, who made it to the semis on a walkover, will be the first one in the ring in the second session featuring seven African boxers with two of the bouts being an all-African affair.
Light-fly Nakimuli will take on 2018 Gold Coast Games flyweight silver medallist Carly McNaul from Ireland, Ghana’s bantam Abraham Mensah vs Owain Harris-Allan from Wales, Nigeria’s lightweight Cynthia Ogunsemilore vs world champion Amy Sara Broadhurst (Ireland), light-welter Richarno Colin (Mauritius) vs Ghana’s Abdul Wahib Omar, light-middle Kassim Mbundwike vs Tiago Muxanga (Mozambique).
The last session, like the previous one, has seven African boxers in the mix with Ghana’s featherweight Joseph Commey the first one in action against India’s Hussam Mohammed, South Africa’s featherweight Sibusisiwe Mnguni vs Ireland’s Michaela Walsh, Nigerian feather Elizabeth Oshoba vs Australia’s Tina Rahimi, Zambia’s welter Stephen Zimba vs India’s Rohit Tokas, Mozambican middle Rady Gramane vs Nigeria’s Jacinta Umunnakwe and Nigerian super-heavy Ifeanyi Onyekwere vs India’s Sagar Sagar.
Commonwealth Games – Statistics after the quarter-finals
General statistics:
Total number of boxers: 231
Women boxers: 59
Men boxers: 172
Number of weight categories: 16 (6 women and 10 men)
Number of participating countries: 55
Number of medallist countries: 19
Number of medallists: 64
The largest delegation: England with 14 boxers
Number of bouts after Day7: 167
The following nations have medals in the Commonwealth Games:
– England: 8 medals
– India, Northern Ireland: 7 medals
– Wales: 6 medals
– Australia, Scotland: 5 medals
– Canada, Nigeria: 4 medals
– Ghana, Mozambique: 3 medals
– South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia: 2 medals
– Botswana, Mauritius, New Zealand, Niue, Samoa, Uganda: 1 medal
Medals by Confederations:
– European Boxing Confederation: 26 medals from 4 countries
– African Boxing Confederation: 19 medals from 9 countries
– Oceanian Boxing Confederation: 8 medals from 4 countries
– Asian Boxing Confederation: 7 medals from 1 country
– American Boxing Confederation: 4 medals from 1 country
Credit: Nenez Media Services
Photo: Courtesy
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