FOUR Zimbabwean boxers will have a shot at gold medals when they feature in the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games boxing finals at the Large City Hall this afternoon.
SUKOLUHLE MTHETHWA SPORTS REPORTER
Temba Trade Nkomozabo beat Thomas Nestori Mashihanga of Namibia in a semi-final flyweight division bout at the Large City Hall on Monday to qualify for the finals.
Nkomozabo will trade leather with Botswana’s Ogaketse Kutlwano in the finals today in the same weight division.
Zimbabwe will be hoping for medals when Itai Mutsairo, Hebert Rhumbidzo Marembo and Kumbirai Ndaba get into the ring in the finals.
The three are making their first appearance in the tournament.
Mutsairo is up against Nthuko Nyawo from South Africa in a middleweight contest, Marembo takes on Max Ipinge from Namibia in a light heavyweight bout while Ndaba will face Manuel Alego Danilo Leite from Angola in a heavyweight bout.
In other bouts, Teboho Masiu from Lesotho will meet Otukile Mahommed from Botswana in a flyweight bout while Emmanuel Ngoma from Zambia faces Manoel Franscisco Gomes from Angola in a bantamweight division fight.
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South Africa’s Nthethelelo Ngema and Snamiso Ntuli are also in the finals.
Ngema clashes with Timothy Chesu from Zambia in a lightweight category fight while Ntuli will do battle against Manuel Lourenco Cossa from Mozambique in a welterweight division affair.
Zambia’s focus will be on Nkumbu Silungwe who takes on Atang Mosenke from Botswana in a light welterweight contest.
Ipinge and Leite got a bye to take part in today’s final.
Meanwhile, former Zimbabwe middleweight boxing champion Ambrose Mlilo has urged the community to come out in numbers to give the local boxers morale support.
“I would like to encourage the boys to use home advantage,” he said speaking at the Large City Hall.
“People should come and rally behind the boys. As a former champion, I know the effect the crowd can have on a boxer.
“When you are up against a boxer who is at home and the crowd is fully behind him, even before the fight you would feel weak. This ends up giving advantage to the local boxer.
“The boxers should be dedicated and most importantly, respect and listen to their coaches.”
Mlilo sat in the VIP stand among other dignitaries during the quarter-finals on Saturday and the semi-finals on Monday.
