Who will blink first between DR Congo and Morocco?
That’s the one million dollar question boxing analysts are asking themselves ahead of what promises to be a keenly contested competition.
The stage is now set for a bruising battle with each country having 18 boxers in the semi-finals.
And in the finals, Morocco have two boxers, middleweight Noura Mesmaoui and light-heavyweight Hasna Larti.
DR Congo have three boxers in the finals. Featherweight Ruth Yanfu and welterweight Brigitte Mbabi received byes to the finals because of having only three boxers in their weight categories.
I’m told there’s a third DR Congo female boxer in the final, lightweight Munga Zalia Modestine but surprisingly she’s not listed in the draws. So, it’s not known whom she will fight in the final as theere are only two in the 60kg category. Quite strange why they’re not appearing in the official draw sheet.
Featherweight Ruth Yanfu will meet the semi-final winner between Morocco’s Fatima Azim vs Benilde Macarangue of Mozambique and welterweight Mbabi takes on the winner between Morocco’s Toutir Mounir vs Senegal’s Maimouna Ndong.
At light-middleweight, Senegal’s Mbaye Cheick received a bye to the finals, and awaits the semi-final winner between Morocco’s Saida Lahmidi vs DR Congo’s Sarah Enduwa.
In the middleweight category, Morocco’s finalist Noura Mesmaoui battles the winner between DR Congo’s Grace Tshabalala vs Cameroon’s bronze medallist in Yaounde Onguene Tsimi Victorine, and at light-heavy, Moroccan finalist Hasna Larti awaits the semi-final winner between Kenya’s Elizabeth Andiego and DR Congo’s silver medallist in Yaounde Marie-Joelle Mwika.
In today’s semi-finals, DR Congo and defending champions Morocco have 10 boxers each in action and eight in tomorrow’s second semi-final session.
Three of today’s bouts will feature a direct confrontation between the two countries with Morocco’s super-heavyweight Younes Bouhdid taking on DRC’s Apanu Anyisa, world heavyweight champions Khadija Mardi vs Sila Tshimwanga and welterweight Andelhaq Nadir vs Masuasua Ilunga.
The East African Region has 13 semi-finalists. Kenya leads with eight, Ethiopia three, Burundi and Tanzania one each.
Kenyan boxers in the semis are bantamweight Amina Martha vs DRC’s Merveille Bisambu, light-heavyweight Elizabeth Andiego vs DR Congo’s Marie-Joelle Mwika, featherweight Shaffi Bakari vs Zambia’s Mwengo Mwale, light-welterweight Vincent Ochieng vs South Africa’s John Paul Masamba, flyweight Abednego Kyalo vs Mauritius’ Valerie Fabrice, light-middleweight Boniface Mogunde vs Morocco’s Abidine Amroug, light-heavyweight Robert Okaka vs Namibia’s Gebhard Ipinge and super-heavyweight Clinton Macharia vs Angola’s Luvo Jordilson.
Two of the three Ethiopian semi-finalists, lightweight Abubeker Redwan and middleweight Mitiku Temesgen are in action today. Redwan meets Zouhair Fadel of Morocco and African Games bronze medallist Temesgen fights Morocco’s African Games silver medallist Yassine El Ouarz. The third Ethiopian in the semis, Roman Assefa meets Morocco’s defending bantamweight champion Widad Bertal tomorrow.
Tanzania’s lightweight Najma Mohamed will clash with Morocco’s Douvaa Zaki while Burundi’s Nestor Nduwarugira battles Congo’s Ngamissengue Makavissa.
There’s is only one Kenyan fighting today. Super-heavyweight Clinton Macharia meets Angola’s Luvo Jordilson.
Credit: AFBC Communications
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