Bagwasi boxing brothers Shine
Thato Kala | Monday March 31, 2014 12:10
A total of seven bouts were played with the visitors winning four of those.
Teenage pugilist Tefo Rammupudu came up against Nkululeko Suntele in the opening 52kg bout and was beaten all systems out.
Rammupudu was making his international debut and showed signs of greenness. He seemed to be nervous and never attacked his opponent. When the few home fans, who attended the friendly, expected Botswana’s illustrious pugilist, Oteng Oteng, to level it for the country, he was brought down by Moroke Mokhotho in a closely contested match. Mokhotho is an All Africa Games bronze medallist and has previously faced OT. In that bout, OT did fairly well, was technical and attacked well, but lost 2-1.
National team coach Khumiso Ikgopoleng felt his most experienced boxer did well.
“I think he played well, it was a matter of the judges’ decision, but he had an upper hand,” he said. Kefentse Molalapata then lost to Neo Thamahane in a dull 56kg match. The younger Bagwasi, Kabelo, then livened things up when he defied all odds to beat two-time SCAZA gold winner, Mohlerepe Qhobosheane. Kabelo, who was making his senior team debut, faced arguably Lesotho’s most experienced pugilist and matched outplayed him. He was playing in a 60kg bout although his category is 56kg.
The veteran boxer, Qhobosheane, struggled to defend and the teenager took advantage, keeping him backpedalling throughout the fight. He won the bout 3-0.
His elder brother, Kagiso, then beat Mokachane Moshoeshoe in a 64 kg bout despite all his experience.
The fearless Kagiso also capitalised on his opponent’s failure to defend well. He kept pushing him backwards with ceaseless jabs. He also won the match 3-0. Mmusi Tswiige made an exciting comeback to prove he deserves a place in the Zone IV squad when he beat Kokole Paneng in a 69kg bout. Tswiige has not won a bout at club level this year and risked being dropped from the national team because of poor form.
But on Saturday he started off strongly, dishing out a flurry of jabs, beating his opponent by technical knockout after just one round. The referee had to intercede and stop the fight after Paneng was brought down on his knees with a swollen eye. He was unable to continue because of the eye.
Thabang Motsewabeng then lost his 75kg bout to Lunsile Dyamdeki although he put up a good fight. Ikgopoleng said he was happy with the performance of his young boxers. “I think the new guys did well, we wanted to have a team that we can develop in the near future,” he said. Lesotho coach Liphalo Moeketsi said showed him they were on course for the Zone IV. He said some of his boxers were carrying injuries from last weekend’s National Championships back home.
“I think they did well despite the fact that we had a few injuries. We are preparing for the Zone IV Games and I think we are on course. I will need to work on a few things before the Games,” he said.
The Zone IV Boxing Championships will be held in Pretoria, South Africa next month.
The Botswana team is expected to go into camp this week.