Africa finally celebrated the birth of a new baby midwifed by top leaders from IBA, AFBC and SANABO on the night of April 17 at the International Convention Centre in Durban, South Africa’s beautiful coastal city known for its iconic and charming sandy beaches.
The bouncing and healthy baby known as Mandela African Boxing Cup Tournament ushered in a new chapter in Africa boxing development, thanks to the International Boxing Association (IBA) President Umar Kremlev who broached the idea to introduce the tournament supported by Africa Boxing Confederation (AFBC) President Eyassu Wossen Berhanu and South Africa National Boxing Organisation President Siyabulela Mkwalo. They would however not successfully midwifed the new baby without the support of their hard working support staff comprising efficient and passionate boxing lovers.
Named after world-famous freedom fighter and South Africa’s first black President Nelson Mandela – himself a former boxer – the new tournament marks a significant step in AFBC’s new and vibrant leadership. If anything, the bouncing baby is an indication of better things to come as the sleeping giant wakes up from its long slumber.
The opening day witnessed 19 bouts – four quarter-finals and fifteen round of 16 fights – all of them keenly contested as boxers battle it out for $500,000 total prize at stake generously dished out by IBA which has played a big role in this tournament in their commitment to lift Africa boxing.
African Games welterweight champion from Ethiopia Betel Wolde Dedi and Africa Senior Championships welterweight title holder Ivanusa Moreira Gomes of Cape Verde put up brilliant performances to power their way to the semi-finals.
Dedi stopped South Africa’s Asemahle Bayeni in the second round with Moreira scoring a convincing points win over Kenya’s Friza Anyango.
Dedi started at a cracking pace piling on points with her left jab and timely combinations that saw the South African receiving two standing counts before the referee Jean Aime Boussa from Gabon waved it off in one minute 25 seconds of the second round.
Dedi now meets tough DR Congo’s Brigitte Mbabi in the semi-finals. Mbabi, the Africa bronze medallist, was on top of her game in outpointing African Games silver medallist from Mozambique Isabel Mulungo 5-0, subjecting her to two standing counts.
Moreira displayed one of her most impressive performance in her boxing career beating Kenya’s Friza Anyango 5-2. She scored points with her cleverly executed left jab and occasional one-two punches. Her cocktail of punches at times saw working on Friza’s body before going upstairs. The Kenyan was outwitted in all departments of the game by the more refined and intelligent Moreira who once in a while dropped her guard down and refused to be drawn into close-quarter exchanges by Friza.
Moreira and her Portuguese coach Jorge Silva who’s also her husband were both satisfied by the textbook show she displayed. The Cape Verde boxer first made her mark at the 2019 African Games in Rabat, Morocco winning a bronze medal.
Moreira later told me in a phone chat she enjoyed herself and that none of Friza’s punches hurt her.
“She landed a few times, but since I kept her at a distance I made it harder for her to get close to me, I avoided most of her punches.
“I think I made a good fight, my coach told me I used too much skills and I could have made it easier. But we’re both happy and it was good win.
“My jab and side-steps made the difference, and I made her lose confidence, punch hard and drained her stamina with my swift movement in the ring making her miss me and punching the ropes at times.”
Moreira now meets Uganda’s Africa bronze medallist Emily Nakalema in the semi-finals.
It will be their fourth fight with Moreira leading 2-1. They first met was at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics qualifiers in Dakar with Nakalema beating the Cape Verde boxer. Moreira avenged the defeat in last year’s Africa Elite Championships semi-finals in Yaounde and defeated the Ugandan again at the Olympic qualifiers in Italy this year.
“Nakalema is always a dangerous fighter, I’ll remain focused to win my fight,” Moreira told AFBC Communication .
South Africa or Mzansi if you like made their intentions known by winning four fights while the enterprising President of Uganda Boxing Federation Moses Muhangi was walking on a cake with a wide smile winning the East Africa bragging rights battle on the opening day with two victories while Kenya and Tanzania all their fights.
South Africa made up for their first loss in women’s welterweight by chalking up four victories through their polished featherweight southpaw Amzolele Dyeyi who beat 5-0 Ethiopia’s Abubeker Abduselam, lightweight Sanele Sogcwayi 4-1 winner over Mali’s Bathily Karim, light-welterweight John Paul Masamba beat Zimbabwe’s Tickey Mudenda 5-0 and welterweight Damesi Siphamanda 5-0 points winner against Ethiopia’s Ermiyas Mesfin.
Uganda’s two winners were featherweight Kassim Mulungi who defeated Namibia’s Tryagain Ndevelo and welterweight Ukasha Matovu beat Jean Vadamootoo of Mauritius.
It was bad night for Tanzania, losing both fights. Lightweight Ezra Paul made a blunder unnecessarily switching stances from southpaw to orthodox on his way to a points defeat by Namibia’s Divas Natangwe and welterweight Abdallah Mfaume was stopped by Gabon’s Arthur Lendoye in 46 seconds of the first round.
DR Congo, Mauritius and Botswana also started well each notching up two wins.
Botswana’s featherweight George Molwantwa was fully stretched by Lesotho’s taller and brave Tika Litane on his way to a 4-1 pointe win with lightweight Kutlwano Sekhulto making a successful international debut with a 5-0 points win over Eswatini’s Lucia Groening.
Celebrated Mauritius Olympian Clair Merven outpointed Angola’s Joao Morais in the light-middleweight division make no secret of his intention to win gold.
Credit: AFBC Communication
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