04 Apr 2022

Tshepang Gomotho put up an impressive show to outsmart Tshepang Santagane at the fifth inter-club boxing tournament at Glen Valley on Saturday.

Gomotho taught his more experienced opponent some boxing lessons and the referee came to the rescue of Santagane when he stopped the contest.

The young pugilist even earned himself the nickname Rambo because of his skill, composure and tact in the ring.

The 60kg bout between the two namesakes was one of the interesting fights in the tournament.

Gomotho of 125 Boxing Club said his win meant a lot to him since he aspired for bigger things in the sport.

“I managed to use what I have learnt from my coach to outsmart my opponent who was taller than me,” said Gomotho, adding that he used combination punches to unsettle his opponent and used upper body movements to avoid being hit.

Another interesting bout was between Mmoloki Thipe of Prisons Boxing Club against Solomon Lere of Molepolole Boxing Club.

The 63.5kg fight between the inexperienced Lere and the veteran Thipe ended in a 4-1 decision in favour of the latter. Although he suffered a loss, Lere did not disgrace himself as he put up a good fight.

In the 75kg category, Shatiso Makhani of Prisons Boxing Club could not take the devastating punches thrown by Kagiso Ntoti.

The former national team boxer was punished by Ntoti until the referee stopped the contest. Makhani represented the country last December in the Region 5 games in Lesotho.

In the light welter weight category, Elijah Mafote from Molepolole Boxing Club was knocked out by Ernest Kegolotswe of EMG.

Tebogo Rennie from Prisons Boxing Club had a technical knockout win over Bobi Ditlhase.

In the lightweight category, Thabang Chakalisa of Francistown Boxing Club outpunched Oteng Modikele of Mafika Boxing Club while Botshelo Thomologo of Glen Valley Boxing Club also defeated Phemelo Mahammed of Mafika Boxing Club with the same 3-2 win.

In the women category, an interesting bout was between Phekie Bele of Francistown Boxing Club against Kudzani Mothomogolo of Palapye Boxing Club in the 60kg division.

Bele proved too tough for Mothomogolo and she recorded a 5-0 victory.

BoBA public relations officer, Moitshepi Nkabiti, said they had an impressive turn out of women boxers, but could not find suitable opponents for most of them.

Sadie Kenosi is the only female boxer from Botswana to ever qualify for the Olympics as she qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Nkabiti also acknowledged that the weight challenge was not restricted to women only.

However, he said they were doing everything possible to encourage clubs to recruit more athletes from schools to join clubs as it would improve the association’s development programme.

The weekend tournament had 18 bouts for men and three for women.

Eight boxers did not fight since they had no opponents. ENDS