Kenosi defends Africa boxing title

Calistus Kolantsho | Monday September 19, 2022 16:00

AFRICAN CHAMPION: Local female boxer, Keamogetse Kenosi has managed to defend her African title during the AFBC African Elite Boxing Championships that ended in Maputo PIC: MONIRUL BHUIYAN

Kenosi clinched back her title by defeating Sakobi Macelat of Democratic Republic of Congo in the 57kg category.

Kenosi has been on top of her game since becoming the first woman boxer to qualify for the Olympics. She booked her ticket to Tokyo by beating Moroccan Bertal Widad in the African qualifiers that were held in Dakar, Senegal. She competed in the women's featherweight event and lost to Karriss Artingstall of Great Britain in the first round at the Olympics.

Kenosi competed in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games but failed to bring home a medal. The games served as a motivation ahead of the African competition. Kenosi was unstoppable in Maputo winning all her matches. It was a women’s affair as Aratwa Kasemang reached the final where she found Khelif Imane of Algeria waiting.

The bout did not last long as Kasemang bowed out in the second round to settle for a silver medal in the 63kg category. Kasemang settled for silver and walked away P50, 000 richer. Mmusi Tswiigi was tipped for a title win if his performance ahead of the competition was anything to take into consideration. Unfortunately, El Barbari of Morocco was too hard for Tswiigi in the 71kg, as he claimed the match 5-0.

Commonwealth Games bronze medalist, Lethabo Modukanele could not hold on to Birmingham victory as she went down 3-2 to Margaret Tembo of Zambia. She scooped yet another bronze with a pay cheques of P25, 000.

Phekie Bele was beaten 5-0 in a one sided match against Fatma Zobra. She won a bronze medal with a pay out of P25, 000. George Molwantwa started the competition on a good footing, reaching the final in the 54kg. Molwantwa failed to contain South African boxer, Tiisetso Matikinca losing 5-0. Debutant, Molatlhegi Kobamelo went down 3-2 to Issufo Yassine Nordine of Mozambique in the 48kg category.

Botswana had sent a team of nine boxers to the championships and they won six medals, one gold, two silver and three bronze. Kenosi told Sport Monitor that coming back home from the Commonwealth Games was upsetting and she had to find a way to redeem herself.

The DTCB boxing club member said luck was on side as she did not face still opposition. “I have fought those girls before and stepping into the ring I knew their weakness already. So I just had to exploit that and use it to my advantage.

I also corrected my weaknesses. When I left home I also had my game plan to retain my title,” she said. Kenosi said she is now motivated for the upcoming competitions. National team coach, Thebe Setlalekgosi said he was impressed by the performance of his boxers. He said there is nothing exciting than to see hard work paying off.

The competition had attracted boxers from Algeria, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Comoros, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia.