MICHAEL MIYOBA writes
THREE Zambian have progressed to the semi-finals of the 2019 Zone-4 games after impressing in the first round bouts of the boxing championship in Botswana.
Zambia National Boxing team coach Wisdom Mudenda confirmed the development noting that only one Zambian boxer failed to reach the semifinal.
Light flyweight boxer Patrick Chinyemba, Bantamweight Evaristo Mulenga and middleweight Mbachi Kaonga clobbered their opponents respectively to reach the semifinals.
Chinyemba impressed and knocked out Wophela Sitamthanda from South Africa in the first round to reach the semi’ finals.
In the Bantamweight category, Evaristo Mulenga whitewashed Dlamini Zweli of Eswatini 5-0 to reach the semifinals while 23-year old Mbachi Kaonga beat Plaatjies of South Africa 4-1 in the middleweight category.
lightweight Charles Lumbwe is the only Zambian who failed to progress to the next round after losing 4-1 to his South African opponent Vlom Sinethemba.
Meanwhile, ZAMBIA Boxing Federation (ZBF) president Kenned Mubita is hopeful that the boxers will deliver medals as promised because of having prepared adequately for the competition in Botswana.
“We told the boxers to bring medals and make the country proud and the boxers have promised that they will deliver according to our expectations,” Mubita said. “We prepared very well. We had a few local tournaments to prepare for the same and we are hopeful that the boxers will do the country proud.”
Botswana is playing host to the Zone IV African Boxing Championships in the capital, Gaborone from April 24-27.
The tournament has brought together the best boxers that Southern Africa can offer. 64 male and 14 female boxers from 12 regional have set up base in Gaborone for the crucial regional championship.
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