Interesting bouts in Best of Best tournament

NELSON DIRENG
Correspondent | Friday November 19, 2010 00:00

 

The tournament, sponsored by Blue Crystal Sukiri, starts at 2pm tomorrow and Sunday. The year-ending competition pits the best in boxing with 43 fighters expected to trade punches. There are 21 bouts tomorrow, with 16 boxers qualifying for the Sunday bouts. Boxers who recently won awards at the Commonwealth Games in India are expected to feature at the tournament. Rising star Oteng 'Terrible OT' Oteng is one of the main attractions after his outstanding performance for the national team this year. The 20-year-old 52kg boxer has won all the local and regional competitions he has competed in this year.

He was part of the team that represented Botswana at the Commonwealth Games and he brought home a bronze medal. Oteng is the favourite to become the 2010 Boxer of the Year, a title currently held by Bathusi 'Lobatse Bullet' Mogajane. Oteng was crowned the Best Boxer at the National Championships and is the 2009 emerging Boxer of the Year. Mogajane did not participate in last year's National Championships due to personal commitments.

An interesting bout looms between Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, Tirafalo 'The Fighting Prince' Seoko who would be eager to avenge his loss to Michael 'Pick and Shovel' Rantsho in the preliminary rounds of the National Championships. Seoko is however not the only one looking for revenge against Rantsho.

Thato 'Hands of Stone' Batshegi will want to beat Rantsho, who floored him during the national championships. 'A lot of boxers are going to use this tournament to renew their rivalries,' said BOBA spokesperson, Willoughby Kemoen. He said the tournament promises to be thrilling as this is one of the few occasions local boxers meet in the ring.

Other boxers expected to compete in the tournament are Moabi 'Loop 'n Vaal' Mothiba, Gomotsegang '4-8' Gaasite and Lentswe 'Raging Bull' Zwinila.

The Best of the Best tournament will be used to select national team boxers and those who perform below par will be dropped.