Gale Ngakane
2 July 2009
He stepped into the ring to wild cheers from the crowd at Masunga Community Hall for the national Inter-Club Boxing tournament last Saturday. Finally, the Masunga community had the opportunity to witness their son, Lentswe Zwinila pummeling an opponent in the ring.
With his parents, siblings, relatives, neighbours and villagers at the hall and fighting under the Maun stable (soon to be Masunga Boxing Club), the boxer took on the more taller opponent in Oratile Segokgo in the 64kg category and came tops.
It was not an easy victory. In some instances, he had to stand on the tips of his toes to reach Segokgo's jaw. He looked like an office cleaner mopping dirt from a top shelf. Round one and two saw Zwinila cruising through without raising much sweat. His ferocious attacks and uppercuts seemed to rattle Segokgo who failed several times to land punches.
At one point in the first round, Zwinila employed combinations that saw Segokgo kissing the canvas after a right jab to the jaw. The second round was a replica of the first though Segokgo did not go down this time. The Diamond Trading Company Botswana (DTCB) Boxing Club lad got some of his poise in the last seconds of the third round and landed punches on the face of the now tiring Zwinila but it was too little too late.
The Inter-Club tournament started off with the 48kg category that saw the referee coming to the rescue of University of Botswana's (UB) Timon Kungaeri who was no match for Thatayaone Royal of Glen Valley Boxing Club. Royal was eventually voted best boxer and walked away with P300 courtesy of Dikgomo Supermarket in Masunga.
The second bout between Bathusi Mogajane of the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) and Orapa's Maremba Chaboneka was stopped in the second round when Mogajane delivered the knockout punch.
In the 51kg category, Khumoetsile Thekiso of BMC overcame Nthaba Nlanda of Tsholofelo Boxing Club 3-0 while the referee had to stop the next fight in the second round in favour of UB's Oteng Oteng who overpowered Orapa's Mooketsa Keaotshaba. Moitshepi Abraham was the only boxer from Masunga who lost. He succumbed to Joseph Learabea of Thebephatshwa Boxing Club in the 54kg category. Learabea employed his experience and good advice from his corner manned by renowned boxer Khumiso Ikgopoleng.
After the 19 bouts, national coach, Johannes 'Mr Jones' Ditlhabang told Mmegi Sport that the tournament was good preparation for three boxers, Oteng, Mogajane and Jonas Moeti who will represent Botswana at the African Championships in Mauritius. Mmoloki Nogeng who did not feature in the Inter-Club tournament completes the team to Mauritius.
Gomotsang '48' Gaasite and Moabi Mothiba could not make the team due to financial constraints. The boxers are scheduled to leave for a training camp and acclimatisation in Mauritius soon. The tournament is scheduled for July 20-26.
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