Muhammad, ex-boxing hero hits hard times
Calistus Kolantsho | Monday November 17, 2025 06:00
The boxer, who resides at Peleng in Lobatse, marked his presence by winning a gold medal at the 2014 Africa Youth Games.
He then followed up the feat with a bronze medal at the Samoa 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games.
Muhammad went on to represent Botswana at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, competing in the men’s flyweight 52kg category alongside Keamogetse Sadie Kenosi, who was in the women’s featherweight 57kg category.
He also advanced to the quarterfinals in the men’s flyweight division at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
But now Muhammad is no longer a force in the amateur ranks after he decided to call it quits.
In an interview, the boxer revealed he wants to focus on professional boxing, as he has been booked for a fight on December 13 in Francistown.
“I decided to shift to professional boxing because things were now difficult in amateur boxing,” Muhammad told MmegiSport.
“The Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) decided to drop me when I was (scheduled) to participate in the world boxing championships, which were the 2024 Paris Olympic Games qualifiers. That was when I decided to quit amateur boxing.” Muhammad noted he was disappointed about the treatment he received from BoBA, more especially since he had represented the country at many international competitions.
According to the former Mafika Club boxer, his wish was to qualify for the Olympic Games for the second time, but the dream went up in smoke.
He said the other challenge is age, hence his decision to join professional boxing. The boxer is now 28 years old.
Muhammad added that at the moment, he is training at the University of Botswana (UB) Boxing Club.
Former BoBA president, Gilbert Khunwane, said the boxer’s form had tremendously gone down, and discipline was also a challenge.
“He lost touch somehow, as an association we tried whatever we could,” Khunwane explained.
BoBA spokesperson, Kabelo Seleka, said there was nothing official from Muhammad's club or the boxer, since they assumed office. He said it seems like the boxer has never registered for any tournament.
According to a source, things were tough for the former African Games flyweight champion, Muhammad, when he bowed out of the African Games boxing tournament in 2024.
The games were a qualifier to the World Boxing Championships. “If he did not make the cut at the Africa Games Boxing Tournament, it was going to be worse for him at the world championships.
“He was not in the top four in Africa. He lost his Olympic Solidarity sponsorship, and that made things difficult for him; hence, he decided to lay low, and he was frustrated,” a source said.