▪️The Africa Boxing Zone 4 President Thipe has declared that Tshiambo Moalosi is his appointed Secretary-General while Taolo Tlouetsile says he’s the IBA Africa Zone 4 Secretary-General
▪️”At the moment the International Boxing Association has eliminated all structures and created IBA Africa, IBA Asia etc, so the zones are non-existent, it’s only Africa Boxing having zonal leadership,” says Thipe
May 4, 2026
A major leadership crisis has emerged in Africa Boxing Zone 4, with Dirang Thipe declaring himself the sole President following the introduction of the new IBA leadership structure which dissolved all confederations.
In an interview with boxersworld.co.ke, Thipe said all confederations’ bodies were dissolved at the 2025 IBA Congress in Dubai, and therefore he is the bonafide Zone 4 President and not Gabriel Junior who is the Mozambique federation president. Thipe is also the Botswana Boxing Association President.
“Africa Boxing under World Boxing has Africa zones 1 to 4 but not IBA Africa. This means Gabriel Junior and his team are no longer in office because IBA has dissolved all confederation bodies, and this includes the zonal leaders,” said Thipe.
A former Botswana international boxer, Thipe has therefore advised Taolo Tlouetsile to stop masquerading as Zone 4 Secretary-General whom Thipe described as a busy body without any specific duty in boxing after he was ousted as Botswana Boxing Association Secretary-General in the 2025 elections.
“My appointed SG is Tshiamo Moalosi, I was appointed by NFs in Nigeria. I’m speaking with authority as the Zone 4 President,” said Thipe.
Thipe went on: “There are no zonal leaders now under the new IBA structure. IBA Africa under Interim President General Ferdinand Luyoyo is the only body in charge of lboxing in Africa under the new IBA structure, I expect the General to give us direction on this arising confusion.
“General Luyoyo or the IBA head office should publicly tell us whether zonal leaders still exist under the new management structure, what we know is that Luyoyo and his team are the ones in charge,” said Thipe whose Zone 4 Presidency has further been boosted with his appointment by Africa Boxing as the official representative in the Africa Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Games scheduled for Maputo from December 4-13, 2026.
Thipe’s appointment letter is signed by AB President Solomon Kargbo.
“I have been talking to Gabriel Junior, showing him my appointment letter, he said African Union Sports Council should declare who takes over between World Boxing or IBA,” said Thipe, adding: “I have backing from eleven Africa Boxing Zone 4 federations namely Botswana, Eswatini, Seychelles, Mauritius, Namibia, Malawi, Madagascar, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zambia and South Africa.”
Contacted for comment, the Zone 4 Secretary-General under IBA Africa, Taolo Tlouetsile, said Thipe has exposed his ignorance by stating that he (Taolo) is not the Secretary-General.
Said Taolo: “As far as I’m concerned I’m the Zone 4 SG under IBA Africa, the President of Zone 4 is Gabriel Junior. He was elected by members. So far, there’s only one Zone 4 structure. If AB wants to establish a zone, they should talk to NFs. We have 14 member NFs, including Botswana. Did they cut and paste the same? Anyway, let them enjoy what they claim to be theirs.
“We’re currently planning the zonal championships to be hosted by Namibia, and we extend invitations to all members of Zone 4.
“All 14 members are under IBA, including Botswana, how many NFs are affiliated to AB? They have to come out clear on this one unless they have hijacked our members without our knowledge.”
IBA Africa Zone 4 President Gabriel Junior had not responded to share his position at the time of publishing the story. We sought his views on Thipe’s declaration as the sole Zone 4 President.
The ball is now in the court of IBA Africa Interim President, Ferdinand Ilunga Luyoyo, to state their stand on the zonal leaders under the new IBA structure. This will clear the air on the looming leadership confusion.
