Boxing champion Oteng to quit?
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday November 20, 2015 11:30
Mmegi Sport is reliably informed that the bantamweight boxer has lost interest in boxing. The Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) reportedly sent a team to persuade the boxer to change his mind, but in vain. However, BoBA vice president-technical, Orapeleng Mosalakgotla, said they had not sent a delegation to talk to the boxer. He said Oteng is still their boxer and only had a quiet year due to school commitments.
He said the boxer had requested to be excused due to academic commitments. “We could not deny him the opportunity because we have used him a lot in different competitions,” he said.
For his part, Oteng said his focus is on his studies which has seen him stay away from the ring. He said his aim is to return next year after completing his studies even though he remains inactive at the moment. But Mmegi Sport deep throat said there are other issues, other than schoolwork, which are keeping him away.
“There are other boxers who are involved at school but are competing; there is more than just academic commitments,” said the source. Meanwhile, BoBA national boxing championships get underway tomorrow with the semi-finals before the finals on Sunday. Defending women’s champion, Pearl Morake is out due to illness while Keneilwe Rakhudu does not have an opponent after Morake’s withdrawal. Morake said as the defending women champion, it would have been nice to compete. She said it is unfortunate that the number of women boxers has gone down and apparently enough is not being done to address the situation. Rakhudu said she is not part of the competition because she does not have an opponent. “I wanted to use the national championships as part of preparations for the Olympic Games qualifiers,” said a disappointed Rakhudu. Blood and bruises are expected to be the order of the day when hard hitting boxers, Oteng Phatshwe takes on Thabang Motsewabeng in the heavyweight category. Lentswe Zwinila will have to go through Mmusi Tswiige in the 69kg category to reach the final. Other bouts that are expected to entertain boxing fans will be between Zibabi Chikanda of EMG against Calvin Seabe in the 75kg category, Kabelo Bagwasi (DTCB) against Bokamoso Molaodi of Francistown club in 60kg division. In the 49kg division, Willow Garethata takes on Kennedy Ramosesane. The only women bout is between Dipogiso Koketso (Kgalagadi Club) against Gosaitse Iketo (EMG) in flyweight division.