Baaname fits late Nkabithi�s gloves
Koketso Kgoboge | Thursday November 16, 2017 14:16
Baaname is scheduled to fight his second professional match in December in South Africa. He won his first professional bout during the Bond Boxing Promotions tournament held in Gaborone early this year.
In South Africa, the young boxer will compete at the BRD Promotions tournament Turffontein Race Course in Johannesburg.
BRD Promotions, which used to organise Nkabithi’s fights in South Africa, is run by Manuel Fernandez. Nkabithi did not live to see his bantamweight student turn professional. Baaname’s maiden professional fight was on the same weekend of his mentor’s demise in South Africa. Nkabithi passed on in a fight against Willis Baloyi after sustaining head injuries. Baaname is expected to carry the baton from where his mentor left off in the neighbouring country.
Nkabithi’s long time manager, Malcom Motele said he has found courage to drive his late fighter’s vision.
He said he took Baaname under his wing and organised the impending professional fight for the youngster.
He said following the closure of Nkabithi’s fitness centre and boxing stable here, he has sent the young Baaname to train under veteran boxer, Dintwa Sloca in Gaborone.
He said Baaname is a tough opponent with a great potential to become the next best boxer.
The youngster, he said, received a lot of praise from his late mentor.
“I am supporting Gift (Baaname) administratively and I have organised his second professional fight in South Africa,” he said.
“Gift is young. He is a tough fighter and he will definitely grow into another best boxer and make his name in South Africa. Nkabithi spoke highly of this boy.”
Baaname said he is happy that he has finally found a breakthrough in professional boxing.
He said his aim is to leave a mark with his rare chance and hopefully in future compete in the South African league as his former mentor.
“It’s a rare opportunity. It is just my second professional fight and I have a chance to prove myself.”
“I want this fight to be the beginning of the road to a title fight in South Africa. I have been training hard and I feel ready to go into the ring,” he said.
Motele also revealed that preparations for a professional fight in Botswana in honour of Nkabithi are underway.
He said although the details are yet to be finalised the fight is scheduled for sometime next April, the month of the death of the boxing legend and mentor.