20 Jun 2022

Botswana professional boxing sensation, Kgotla Baeti, will go all out to prove his mettle when he takes on South African’s Netshamutshedzi Humbulani in an eight round welterweight showdown billed for Tlotlo Conference Centre in Gaborone on August 6.

With the main card set for 7pm, the evening will feature an action packed box and dine event preceded by the main supporting bout between Thabiso Mpolokeng and Bongani Makovora of Zimbabwe. The much anticipated showpiece, the brainchild of Perfect Punch Professional Boxing Club, dangles the banner: The Storm is Brewing.

On June 15, organisers hosted a media and public workout event to network with the renowned boxer in an interactive boxing training session in a bid to hype up one of the biggest days of boxing talent in the country.

While Baeti’s status is considered inactive on Box Rec, a website dedicated to keeping records of both professional and amateur boxers, the clock is ticking for him to put on his professional gloves and prove his boxing prowess and go back to his glory days.

His coach, Larona Francis, said in an interview that the international fight would be used, among other things, to update Baeti’s record since he had been absent from the ring for quite a prolonged time. After the August showdown, his coach explained that they were considering arranging for another fight in the not so distant future after which he could be considered for a championship title.

Although the hard punching pugilist has not yet earned a championship title, his coach said, “We didn’t want to rush him into a championship since he had a long lay-off from the ring of about 10 years.” Attempts to bring him back to his heydays were done in 2019 when he fought local boxer, Tshepo Mokgadi and again last year at Grand Palm when he faced Zambian pugilist, Simon Ngoma. Although he won his fight against Mokgadi, and a split decision over his Zambian opponent, the two fights did not yield the much desired results as the organisers of the two fights did not update his record. However, Francis was quick to emphasise that “that was not in vain and rather take that as preparation”.

Eventually, his coach said they wanted to take the professional route and had a major sanctioning organisation considering him for an African title or if possible an inter-continental, if not international belt.

“Therefore, this upcoming fight would be used to re-condition him,” he added. So far, it had been three months of preparations for the huge fight. Francis said in about five weeks, their focus would be on the technical aspect to correct Baeti’s tactics and give him more sparring partners to condition him.

For his part, Baeti, 39, said he was ready for the major fight and face his opponent head on. Although they had not shared the ring, he said Humbulani was someone he used to interact with during training sessions while he was still based at Golden Gloves stable in South Africa. Baeti is Botswana’s top notch professional boxer who has a boxing career spanning from 2004 when he turned professional until 2012 when he returned home. The Gamodubu-born hard hitting puncher is feared locally and for him that served as a disadvantage on his part because he was unable to get game time on home ground.

During his glory days, he fought 22 bouts, seven wins and 14 losses with a draw. However, his opponent, the Limpopo-born boxer, Humbulani could not be underrated as he is former 2016 WBF Africa Welterweight champion. He also fought 22 bouts and has a record of 117 rounds and about 4.55 per cent of KOs.

Perfect Punch public relations and communications officer, Karabo Mokgware, said their intention was to help promote a great sport and bring something different away from the usual sporting events. Again, he said the fight would be used to prove Baeti as the greatest fighter there is, especially in his home ground.

Meanwhile, ticket sales resume on June 25. A golden ticket for the night is priced at P400 per person and it includes fine dinner, aerobatics and a seat right next to the ring. A P300 ticket has the same benefits but guarantees a seat further away from the ring while P200 ticket gives access to watch the fight. ENDS