▪️A visa hitch knocks out DR Congo’s star boxer David Tshama.The rest of DRC boxers are however in the mix
▪️Nigerian Boxing Federation Vice-President Imadu Imonlei disowns the boxers from the populous West African nation describing them as imposters representing themselves in Dubai but a top African boxing official waters down the allegation saying they’re legitimately in the tournament
4/12/2025
The richest ever boxing tournament on earth – the 23rd edition of Men’s World Boxing Championships – starts today at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium with 33 boxers from Africa in action.
Among the prominent boxers who’ll trade leather today are Senegal’s Africa heavyweight champion Karamba Kebe, Mozambican Commonwealth Games silver medallist Tiago Muxanga now a pro boxer based in England, Seychelles Mandela Cup middleweight champion Joshua Cousin, DR Congo’s Mandela Cup bronze medallist Mbaya Mulumba, Eswatini’s boxing’s posterboy Thabiso Dlamini, 2019 African Games silver medallist Shaffi Bakari of Kenya and compatriot Africa Zone 3 silver medalist Peter “The Beast” Abuti and Gabon’s Mandela Cup gold medallist Moundat Njinnou.
A visa hitch has knocked out DR Congo’s star boxer David Tshama but the rest of DRC boxers including three-time African champion Pita Kabeji will be in action in this glamorous $8.32 million tournament which has attracted Cuba’s celebrated multiple Olympic and world champion Julio Cesar La Cruz and top Central Asian boxers such as Uzbekistan’s two-time Olympic gold medallist and defending world flyweight champion Hasanboy Dusmatov
Nigerian Boxing Federation Vice-President Imadu Imonlei has warned the Nigerian boxers in Dubai of dire consequences because they have not been cleared by the federation and the government.
“They will face the consequence of illegal representation as will be decided by the board of the federation,” Imonlei told boxersworld.co.ke
Imonlei went on: “They are there representing themselves and not Nigeria. They were not registeted by the Nigerian Boxing Federation, it will be illegal for them to fly the Nigerian flag as a country.”
A top African boxing official has watered down Imonlei’s comments saying it’s wrong to deny innocent boxers a chance to take part in the world event owing to petty boxing politics.
Nigeria and India are among World Boxing affiliates who have denied their boxers a chance to take part in this immensely rich tournament in Dubai yet IBA has allowed dual membership to enable boxers take part in any tournament of their choice. IBA is focused on empowering boxers financially, and with the Golden Era initiative in motion the future is very for young ambitious boxers worldwide under IBA’s commercialisation of boxing.
Confusion also surrounds Cameroon’s representation with Professor Binyom Pierre Rene, who says he’s the legally elected President of the federation, disowning the Cameroon boxers in Dubai
“As elected president of Cameroonian Boxing Federation, the three boxers are not recognised by the Cameroonian Boxing Federation,” said Rene, adding:”None of them is licenced to our federation, and the government has not cleared them.”
Contacted, Andre Basile Kalong, the Secretary General of the federation and former AFBC Secretary General side-stepped the issue, referring me to the coach.Cameroon is embroiled in a leadership dispute.
Africa is currently starved of success in Men’s World Boxing Championships. It’s eight years now no country from Africa has won a medal in the global tournament since the 2017 World Championships in Hamburg, Germany, where Cameroon’s super-heavyweight Fokou Fosso, now campaigning as a pro in Australia, bagged a bronze medal.
Eswatini’s medal hope in Dubai Thabo Dlamini is optimistic the medal drought will end this time around.
“It’s possible we just have to believe in ourselves and put our mind to do it , it’s our time,” Dlamini told boxersworld.co.ke
“On my side I’m ready, I have prepared well for this tournament I know it won’t be a walk in the park but will do our level best. I’m hoping my experience will come in handy.”
The 33 African boxers in action today, December 4, 2025:
Lightweight round of 64
Wisdom Barnor (Sierra Leone) vs Ashiraliyev Mahamnadali (Azerbaijan)
Abdou Karim Bathily (Mali) vs Roka Magar (Nepal)
Light-heavyweight
Fanchette Dashelli (Seychelles) vs Ummataliev Javorkhir (Uzbekistan)
Heavyweight round of 32
Peter Abuti (Kenya) vs Toktosun Bakyt (KGZ)
Lightweight
Amadou Hasaane Abdoul (Nigeria) vs Okasha Muayid (Libya)
Makwinja Mphatso (Malawi) vs Marusenga Mandhlenkosi (Zimbabwe)
Welterweight round of 64
Diop Cheikh Tidiane (Senegal) vs Leo John Francis (Scotland)
Light-middleweight round of 64
Tiago Muxanga (Mozambique) vs Sadjad Yacouba (Nigeria)
Light-heavyweight round of 64
Tamba James Bafaor (Sierra Leone) vs Tevita Lauhingoa (Tonga)
Kumar Pravesh (IBN India) vs Christopher Luteke (DR Congo)
Abubaker Malindi (Uganda) vs Staver Vadim (IBN -Malta)
Heavyweight round of 64
Karamba Kebe (Senegal) vs Andre Lucien (Cameroon)
Bantamweight round of 64
Shaffi Bakari (Kenya) vs Zekenya Kedir (Ethiopia)
Manuel Paulo (Mozambique) vs Anushervon Fazylov (Tajikistan)
Light-welterweight round of 64
Thabiso Dlamini (Eswatini) vs Stelios Kirsanidis (Greece)
Nyongoloza Ntandoyenkosi (Zimbabwe) vs Pacifique Niyonzima (Rwanda)
Light-middleweight round of 64
Khalida Ahmeedah (Libya) vs Youssouf Diallo (Guinea)
Middleweight round of. 64
Abduloul Adamou (Nigeria) vs Vakhtang Harutyunyan (Armenia)
Amadou Keita (Liberia) vs Uulu Syrgak (KGZ)
Kasilila Enzi Mathew (Tanzania) vs Joshua Cousin (Seychelles)
Heavyweight round of 32
Mzobanzi Moyo (Zimbabwe) vs Leo Nicolson (Australia)
Light-welterweight round of 64
Mbaya Mulumba (DR Congo) vs Vsllia Popov (Russia)
Middleweight round of 64
Avelino Benjamin (Angola) vs Traore Djibril (Mali)
Innocent Mugenga (Rwanda) vs Mohammed Yazmin (Sri Lanka)
Light-heavyweight round of 32
Moundat Njinnou (Gabon) vs Abdullah Rajapov (Cambodia)
