Kenosi returns as a Professional Boxer
Calistus Kolantsho | Tuesday February 25, 2025 13:59
Kenosi made history when she became the first Motswana female boxer to qualify for Olympics for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. She was also the first boxer to earn her Olympics berth. Diamond Boxing Club manager and Scud Missile Promotions owner, Thuso Khubamang, told SportMonitor that he has signed Kenosi.
Her first bout as professional boxer is set for March 22 in South Africa, Khubamang said. “I am excited to be working with Kenosi, she is a talented boxer. I also have Arata Kasemang and Phekie Bele who will also be fighting at the same event. Kasemang will be fighting her second bout as a professional boxer while Bele will be competing for the first time in the professional stage,” he said. Meanwhile, Bele was scheduled to fight in Zimbabwe over the weekend, only for her bout to be cancelled at the last minute. Khubamang explained that everything was ready, weigh in was done, only for the bout to be cancelled by Zimbabwe National Boxing Control Board after the promoter failed to show that he has the funds to pay the boxers. “The promoter admitted that the sponsors had not given him money, so the boxers could not continue with the bouts without money. It was an unfortunate turn of events because we har been preparing for that bout since December. When a promoter is organising an event, they should make sure that everything is ready, boxers work hard to prepare for these competitions and for a bout to be cancelled when we had travelled such a long distance is disappointing,” Khubamang said.
He said Diamond Boxing Club is sponsored by Thito Holdings, a company that takes care of boxers' accommodation, and feeding amongst other matters. He said fortunately, one of the promoters in South Africa invited him for a competition in March. Khubamang said women boxers are talented and have what it takes to make it in the international stage if they are supported. He said even at amateur boxing, they stand a chance to win medals at international competitions.
Professional Boxing Association of Botswana (PBAB) president, Seroba Binda, said they have requested for a formal communication regarding the cancellation of the bout but there was no response by Sunday evening. “It is unprofessional for something for that to have happened to our boxer. We always host Zimbabwean boxers but they always get paid without any problem. We expected the same thing from them. We will continue pushing for an explanation from them,” Binda said.