BOXING LIBERALISATION SPREADS TO AFRICA
Elegant ceremonial belts were presented to each of the winners
Africa took a big leap forward taking advantage of the current liberalisation of boxing to stage the first ever pro boxing card in the continent organised by amateur bodies in Tunisia’s capital city, Tunis, on Friday, January 24.
Congolese and Tunisian federation presidents, Ferdinand Ilunga Luyoyo and Barbouche Zied, joined hands backed by the International Boxing Association (IBA) to stage a well organised nine-bout card at the Sidi Boussaid Gymnasium that ushered in IBA’s version of pro boxing in Africa.
The hitherto restrictions on amateur and pro boxing were lifted when IBA (then AIBA) for the first time allowed professional boxers to take part in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Since then, there’s been a remarkable progression in the liberalisation of boxing with IBA introducing the popular and prestigious Champions’ Night organised in a professional boxing format, and now Africa has emulated IBA by introducing pro boxing hosted by amateur bodies, and this opens the way for more boxers – unable to feature in mainstream pro boxing – to make money as the commercialisation of sports takes root in Africa boxing.
World Boxing Council (WBC) has also loosened its stance on amateur boxing and will next month stage a contest for amateur boxers in Nigeria ahead of WBC World Amateur Championships later in the year. WBC was in the forefront criticism IBA’s decision to allow pro boxers in the Olympics, warning its affiliates stern measures would be taken against them and their boxers if they took part in the Rio Olympics.
Not all amateur boxers are, however, impressed by this liberalisation as was evidenced at the Paris Olympics last year when coaches and boxers questioned the logic of allowing Brazil’s IBF lightweight champion Beatriz Ferreira (5-0) and 30-year-old two-time Olympic champion and twice world gold medal winner, Uzbek Bakhodir Jalolov with a 14-0 record in pro boxing, fighting young inexperienced boxers. Jalolov won gold and Ferreira, a silver medallist at the Tokyo Olympics, taking home bronze.
On her way to the semi-finals in the Paris Olympics, Ferreira saw off U.S. lightweight hope Jajaira Gonzalez who was so bitter losing to the Brazilian that she wondered why the pros were being allowed in the Olympics.
“I think the pros should stay out of the amateurs, you went to pro so leave the amateurs alone,” Gonzalez told the Associated Press.
Despite the liberalisation, so far there’s no elite pro boxer the likes of Anthony Joshua and Olesandr Usyk who have donned the amateur vest with most of the established pros looking it as a demotion to return to amateur boxing after graduating to the mainstream bare-chested game described by some critics as recklessly brutal.
What happened in Tunisia therefore paves way for the lower cadre of pro boxers to fight opponents of their class without the risk of facing the more experienced elite pros. And they can still continue taking part in amateur tournaments worldwide.
In the main fight during the Tunisia Pro Boxing Gala Night, DR Congo’s three-time African champion Pita Kabeji TKO’d Tunisia’s Mohamed Riahi in the third round in the cruiserweight division.
Kabeji’s compatriot, Africa female flyweight champion Nyembo Gisele dominated Tunisia’s Rahma Nahari enroute to a unanimous points victory.
The most impressive winners tactically were Sierra Leone’s featherweight Josefien Angel who silenced Tunisia’s Amal Mathloufi before her home fans in a thrilling featherweight bout.
Tanzania’s King Lucas Mwajobaga used tact to overcome an equally impressive Elder Liduema of Angola.
Uganda’s middleweight Ojok Alfred, a product of Champions League, was the most lethal body puncher of the night. He completely overpowered Libya’s Issa Abdullah with energy-sapping body punches, forcing him to make three trips to the canvas before the referee waved it off.
Full results
*48 kg Women:* Waffa Hafsi (Tunisia) outpointed Andriamiarisoa Miora Tina Karene (Madagascar)
*52 kg Women:* Rahma Nahari (Tunisia) lost on pts to Nyembo Gisele (DRC)
*57 kg Women:* Amal Mathloufi (Tunisia) lost on pts to Betist Josefien Angel (Sierra Leone)
*60 kg Men:* Ngollo Ngassay Cheril Etienne ( Congo) lost on pts to Mohamed Ben Mansour (Tunisia)
*63.5 kg Men:* Lucas Mwajobaga (Tanzania) outpointed
Liduema Elder(Angola)
*71 kg Men:* Hamza Wassim (Algeria) TKO’d De Souza Kokou Vinyo (Togo) in third round.
*75 kg Men:* Ojok Alfred ( Uganda) TKO’d Al Azzabi Abdlmomn Issa Abdallah (Libya) in round one
*80 kg Men:* Youssef Rafrafi (Tunisia) outpointed Ngon a Ngon Brandone (Cameroon)
*86 kg Men:* Pita Kabeji Peter (DRC) TKO’d Riahi Mohamed (Tunisia) round three.
