▪️The total number of African boxers in Last 16 swells to 36 with 16 victories so far and 12 losses
▪️Nigeria left with three lethal bullets; casualty toll increases to three
▪️20 African boxers in action today among them Ghana’s African Games champion Amadu Mohammed, Zambia’s World Championships bronze medallist Emmanuel Katema, female boxers Malawi’s Deborah Mtenje and Mauritius’ Marie Marine Gabriel
July 26, 2026
African boxers unleashed a powerful storm on Day Two of the Commonwealth Games, with six more fighters punching their way into the pre-quarterfinals to bring the continent’s total win tally to 16 after Friday’s 10 victories.
The thrilling Saturday session saw dominant performances across multiple weight classes, though it brought contrasting fortunes for Commonwealth Games boxing powerhouse Nigeria.
Six pugilists booked their spots in the Round of 16 with decisive victories: In the lightweight division, Treasure Moremi (Botswana) outclassed Niue’s Phoenix Gataua, Jade Micock (Seychelles) beat 5-0 Dicks Lio of Solomon Islands, Albert Ngulube (Zambia) cruised through with 5-0 win over Uganda’s Ibrahim Kemis, Tryagain Ndevelo (Namibia), the reigning African featherweight champion, earned a walkover.
At light-heavyweight Alfred “Gorilla” Ojok (Uganda) powered through 5-0 against Niue’s Kalani Anitela-Launiu, Yusuf Changalawe (Tanzania), the 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist, showcased elite pedigree with a 4-1 over Nigeria’s David Akintola.
In the Last 16 on July 27, Moremi meets Lesotho’s Toka Lotobe, Micock fights Northern Island’s Eoghan Quinn, Ngulube vs Pakistan’s Qudrat Ullah, Ndevelo battles Ruhon Reza of Bangladesh, Ojok meets England’s Dimesi Shittu who received a bye to pre-quarters with Tanzania’s Changalawe set for an East African showdown against Kenya’s IBA World Championships quarter-finalist Robert “Man Ngori” Okaka in what promises to be an explosive showdown.
“It will not be an easy fight for my neighbour Changalawe whom I respect a lot, I’ve trained very well I’m ready for him,” a confident Okaka told boxersworld.co.ke in an interview, thanking the Almighty for his guidance.
Changalawe was bullish, warning Okaka to expect the toughest fight of his life.
“Let him come face me we’re all carrying our flags high, he should be ready for a difficult fight,” said Changalawe.
Commenting on his victory over the Nigerian boxer, Changalawe said: “It was not an easy fight, my opponent was strong and tough but through the advice of my coach and God being with me I won. I’m assuring our President (Samia Suluhu) I’m taking home a gold medal, our national anthem must be played here.”
The total number of African boxers out of the Commonwealth Games rose to 12 following the losses of Malawi’s light-heavyweight Happy Gwira beaten by Jan Zaalan of Antigua and Barbuda, Uganda’s lightweight Ibrahim Kemis defeated by Zambia’s Albert Ngulube and Nigeria’s light-heavyweight David Akintola bundled out by Tanzania’s Yusuf Changalawe.
Nigerian Meltdown Continues
It was another brutal day in the office for Nigeria, suffering their third consecutive defeat of the tournament. Tanzania’s Yusuf Changalawe dismantled Nigeria’s David Akintola in a 4-1 split decision. This follows a disastrous opening day where light-middleweight Hassan Ayomide Folly was stunned by Lesotho’s Thai Refiloe, and welterweight Abdulramon Abdulwahab was shown the door by Uganda’s Nuhu Batte. With the male squad entirely wiped out, Nigeria now pins its ultimate medal hopes on its elite female boxers, who previously dominated the African Games in Accra where they accounted for five of the eight gold medals won by Nigeria.
The three female Nigerians yet to fight are 19-year-old bantamweight Kadijat Ajishola who is in action today, July 26, 2026 against Helen Jones of Wales, African Games champions,light-middleweight Blessing Oraekwe and UK-based Patricia Mbata both of whom are in the quarter-finals. Blessing fights Australia’s Lekeisha Pergoliti on July 29 and Patricia takes on England’s Mary Kate Smith on July 28.
Ajishola made her debut on May 7, 2026, during an international match between Ghana and Nigeria in Accra, putting up commendable performance enroute to a 5-0 victory over Ghana’s Ramatu Quaye.
Nigeria was among Africa’s top achievers at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, finishing second and 10th overall with one silver and three bronze medals behind joint top-placed and eighth overall Ghana and Mozambique 0-2-1.
Featherweight Elizabeth Oshoba, the Nigerian finalist, won silver losing to Northern Ireland’s Michaela Walsh.
The continental ledger is very impressive as the competition intensifies:
16 African boxers have so far won their fights
12 African boxers have been sent packing
36 total African pugilists are in the Round of 16
10 in the quarter-finals
20 AFRICAN BOXERS FIGHTING TODAY IN ROUND OF 16
Ghana’s African Games champion Amadu Mohammed, Zambia’s World Championships semi-finalist Emmanuel Katema and his compatriot, World Championships quarter-finalist Mwengo Mwale and Lesotho’s hard-hitting Mathealira Seholoholo are among Africa’s top boxers in action in Day Three of the Commonwealth Games boxing tournament in Glasgow.
Nigeria’s 19-year-old female bantamweight Kadijat Ajishola is one of the seven African women pugilists trading leather. She has a big responsibility to salvage Nigeria’s battered pride so far with all the three male boxers out of the competition.
The 20 Africans in action today:
Women’s bantamweight
Nigeria’s Kadijat Ajishola vs Helen Jones of Wales
Botswana’s Keatlaretse Modise vs New Zealand’s Greer Hau
Men’s bantamweight
Ghana’s Amadu Mohammed vs Kiribati’s Eriu Temakau
Men’s welterweight
Botswana’s Pooana Khoahli vs Jamaica’s Martez Cope
Mauritius’ Ziggy Agathe vs James Paul of Papua New Guinea
Second session women’s bantamweight
Ghana’s Nancy Bamfo vs Northern Ireland’s Nicole Clyde
Malawi’a Deborah Mtenje vs India’s Preeti Preeti
Mauritius Marie Marine Gabriel vs Daniel Dominique of Samoa
Zambia’s Catherine Mwape vs Pakistan’s Malaika Zahid
Women’s featherweight
Ghana’s Adelaide Dede vs Fiji’s Jasmine Dauna
Men’s bantamweight
Zambia’s Mwengo Mwale vs South Africa’s Masubule Sigwela
Mauritius’ Fabrice Valerie vs New Zealand’s Alex Mukuka
Namibia’s Pumulo Mutakela vs Togo’s Charif Yaya
Men’s welterweight
Uganda’s Nuhu Batte vs India’s Aditya Pritap
Zambia’s Emmanuel Katema vs Scotland’s Leo Church
Malawi’s Elias Bonzo vs Ewan Gracia of Gibraltar
Namibia’s Patrus Jacobus vs Connor Williams of Wales
