Boxing has regressed – Mabiletsa
Calistus Kolantsho | Monday March 23, 2026 06:00
The pugilist is leaving his role as chairperson of the Tsholofelo and University of Botswana (UB) boxing clubs, after announcing his decision this week.
But looking back, Mabiletsa is not a happy man as he leaves a sport that was regularly part and parcel of the Olympics. Boxing has not made the Olympics in a while. “Boxing used to participate in a lot of international events, in that way improving boxers' standards,” he said. “That no longer happens, and the sport is suffering. Our coaches' standard of coaching has dropped.”
According to Mabiletsa, boxing could create employment. He highlighted that clubs with a professional win stand a good chance in the promotion of boxing, as most of them have training subscriptions and professional boxing in-house.
Mabiletsa achieved historic success by securing Botswana’s first continental medal, a bronze in the lightweight category at the 1991 All Africa Games in Cairo, Egypt.
He followed this with another bronze at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Canada, securing Botswana's first ever medal at the event. Meanwhile, the Tsholofelo and the UB boxing clubs have parted ways after 42 years. Over the years, the two clubs were referred to as UB/Tsholofelo boxing stable.
The pact between the two clubs started in 1984, when Mabiletsa and UB students established Tsholofelo Club. The club will not feature or register any boxers as it re-evaluates its position. In a statement announcing his resignation, Mabiletsa said the initial plan was to ensure that boxers who completed studies at the institution stayed within the stable, whilst the stable would also enjoy having other boxers who were not students. “Times have changed, and boxing must change with the times. We have always believed that institutional clubs are best placed to be successful due to their access to infrastructure sponsored by government,” Mabiletsa said in the statement.
“We also believed that Tsholofelo would need access to that, as without such, being a private club, it will not succeed. At the time, UB had no leadership and thus relied on Tsholofelo personnel.”
He said UB will continue to be active, and structures have been put in place. Some of the former boxers from Tsholofelo/UB stable that featured in the national team and Olympics are Mabiletsa, Shakes Kubuetsile, Healer Modiradilo, Gilbert Khunwane, Khumiso Ikgopoleng, Lechedzani Luza and Oteng Oteng. “My retirement has been on the table for some years now. But they were not ready, that is why the club is going on a pause. UB will assume all boxers; however, they were no longer keen on the pact,” he said.