'Hit Squad' off to a flying start at Africa Boxing Championships

The national boxing team 'Hit Squad' got their African Boxing Championships campaign off to a good start in Yaoundé, Cameroon winning their first two bouts despite complaints about poor organization.

The annual continental showpiece is organized by the International Olympic Committee to create the pathways to the Paris 2024 Olympics and has been running from July 27 until August 6.

And according to ‘Hit Squad’ coach Benjamin Musa, the competition has been marred by poor organization.

"The draw was done on Saturday but later on the organizers sneaked in boxers which are against the laws of the game. Yesterday's fights were also scheduled to take place in the afternoon, but we found ourselves entering the ring at 10pm in the night. However, we are grateful for our good start by winning our two fights and we hope to continue that way to the end," said Musa.

The preliminaries started last night with captain Boniface Mugunde qualifying for the quarter finals by winning 4-1 (28:29, 27:30, 29:28, 27:30 and 28:29) against Burundian Nestor Nduwarugira in the men’s light middleweight while Robert Okaka closed the day in another enthralling encounter against Ugandan Idirisa Mukiibi in the light heavyweight division.

"I had a few challenges because the fight was to start at one o’clock but it wasn’t to be. We had to go back to the hotel to wait and when we returned again at 4pm as instructed, the fight still did not take place until 10pm. In the first round I had some challenges but finally the coaches gave me good instructions and I won it. I hope it will be like that until I bring the gold medal home,” said Mugunde.

Former Commonwealth Games flyweight medallist Christine Ongare was among African boxers who received byes to the last eight without throwing a jab and will now face Yas Mouttaki of Morocco.  Africa Zone Three heavyweight gold medallist Elizabeth Andiego will face off with experienced heavyweight world champion Khadija Mardi of Morocco in the pre-quarterfinals.

Kenyan pugilists could face off with the same boxers in the battle for Paris Olympic slots at the Africa Olympic Qualifiers in Dakar, Senegal in September.

Kenya will hope to emulate their performance from the preceding season where they clinched three silver and a bronze medal through former captain Nick Okoth (lightweight) and his assistant Elizabeth Andiego (heavyweight) who won silver medals together with featherweight Samuel Njau.

*QF - ELITE WOMEN 60-63KG LIGHT WELTER- MWANGI TERESIAH WANJIRU VS JEANINE MBALA AMBOKI - CAMEROON

*QF - ELITE MEN 46-48KG MINIMUM -KYALO ABEDNEGO VS TULEMBEKWA ZOLA LIVENS - COD

* R16 - ELITE MEN 57-60KG LIGHT - IRUNGU ETHAN MAINA VS SSALI AMIRI WASSWA - UGA

* QF - ELITE WOMEN 52-54KG BANTAM - FAKI AMINA MARTHA VS SIBISI LETHOKUHLE - RSA

* R16 - ELITE MEN 51-54KG BANTAM - HASSAN SHAFFI BAKARI VS FRONTIN KEWEL - MRI

* R16 ELITE MEN 54-57KG FEATHER - WAIRIMU SAMUEL NJAU VS TCHOUTA MBIANDA IGNAS ARISTIDE - CMR

* QF ELITE MEN 92+KG SUPER HEAVY - RAMOGI FREDRICK OTIENO VS KADI MOURAD – ALG