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SOME pugilists hoping to make the Bulawayo provincial team for next month’s National Youth Games in Mutare will trade leather at a Bulawayo Amateur Boxing Association (Baba)-organised tournament this afternoon at Manor Hotel.
The National Youth Games are scheduled for August 15-23 and Bulawayo needs a squad of 20 boxers for the boys’ and girls’ categories.
Mike Foloma, Bulawayo’s provincial coach, said the only setback they are facing is spreading prospective boxers across divisions.
“Everything has been going on well, but the problem we are facing is that almost 80 percent of the boxers are about the same weight. This means we will have to work on some of the boxers to try and increase their weight in time for the final selection tournament set for August 8.
“Otherwise we have a good pool of boxers, especially in the boys’ category, but most of them fall under the bantamweight and lightweight,” said Folomi.
Divisions for the juniors, who will participate at the National Youth Games, are as follows: light flyweight (46-48kg), flyweight (48-52kg), bantamweight (52-56kg), lightweight (56-60kg), light welterweight (60-66kg), welterweight (66-71kg), light middleweight (71-75kg), middleweight (75-81kg) and heavyweight (81 plus kg).
Bulawayo’s boxing team contributed a significant number of medals to the province in last year’s National Youth Games and they are hoping to continue their dominance in the junior competitions.
Seven clubs, Nketa, Lobengula, Nkulumane, Sikhulile High School, Tshaka, Percy Ibboston and HQ One Brigade, will participate in today’s Manor Hotel tournament.
Some of the pugilists that caught the provincial coach’s attention are Sikhulile High School’s quartet of Prosper Ncube, Mthulisi Dube, Bridget Ncube and Princess Nkomo.
Boxers from the Lobengula school are likely to dominate Team Bulawayo, as they have been the most active club in nurturing young talent.
They also have Mengezi Mbambo, who beat Lovemore Sagombeto on points in a pinweight fight last month.
Other Bulawayo medals hopefuls are Nketa’s duo of Shadreck Machaya and Karen Masiyambumbi.
Londile Moyo
Online Reporter