▪️Cameroon have seven, Congo Brazzaville six, Zambia, Cape Verde and Senegal four each
▪️Highlights on the first day: David Pina vs Kolongo Bakora and Rady Gramane vs Ivanusa Moreira
October 29, 2026
Hosts Democratic Republic of Congo have thrown down a massive statement of intent at the ongoing Africa Elite Boxing Championships, loading a spectacular 18 boxers into the finals at Kinshasa’s Stade des Martyrs.
With 10 women and eight men punching their way to the ultimate stage, the hosts have made their intentions fiercely clear. After agonizingly finishing as runners-up in both 2023 and 2024, DR Congo is single-mindedly targeting the overall continental crown on home soil.
The local crowd will get an immediate taste of the action on day one of the finals, where 12 of the home nation’s 18 finalists will step into the ring. Highlighting the opening session are eight formidable Congolese women, including two reigning champions looking to defend their thrones: minimumweight sensation Benedicte Diyoka faces Congo-Brazzaville’s Ndoudi Doudou, while light-welterweight Mbalayi Mbamba goes toe-to-toe with Senegal’s Maimouna Ka.
While the hosts dominate the final brackets, Cameroon sits a distant second with seven finalists. Neighboring Congo-Brazzaville has secured six final spots, followed by Zambia, Cape Verde, and Senegal with four each. Mozambique brings two fighters to the finals, while Botswana, Angola, Uganda, and Mauritius remain in the hunt with one finalist apiece.
The opening day’s undercard also promises blockbuster semifinal action. In a clash of titans, Cape Verde’s Olympic bronze medalist David Pina takes on DR Congo’s own Kolongo Bakora. Meanwhile, Cape Verdean Olympian Ivanusa Moreira faces a monumental test against Mozambique’s decorated two-time African champion, Rady Gramane.
