AFBC Boxing

🇨🇩 Countdown to Africa Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships, Kinshasa, DR Congo, October 14-27

MOROCCO LAND IN DRC
▫️ In the team of 23 boxers to defend their overall title is a Cuban head coach, 13 newcomers and some of their regulars used to high octane battles.

A CONFIDENT Morocco's national boxing team of 23 boxers - 11 men and 12 women - has landed in Kinshasa with a Cuban head coach and sounded a warning to DR Congo's team: We are Moroccans, we are irresistible, we are persistent and we are here to beat you at home and retain our title.

The Cuban coach Austin Echemendia is part of a new technical team brought on board by the Royal Moroccan Boxing Federation (FRMB) to replace the previous one led by National Technical Director Othmane Fadli which was dissolved after what the federation felt was a poor show in the Paris Olympics and failure by the male boxers to qualify for the Olympics.
Echemendia will be assisted by five Moroccan coaches who include three-time Olympian, 2015 gold and 2011 silver medallist in the Africa Elite Championships Mohamed Arjaoui.

The national team coordinator, Nabil Hilmi, announcing the DRC squad and the new changes, said in a sweeping move to inject new blood in the team, the Moroccans have selected 13 newcomers - six men and seven women - to bolster their title defence ahead of the highly anticipated Africa Elite Boxing Championships which gets underway today with arrival of teams, entry checks and draws and then the tournament proper starts on Wednesday, October 16. The 13 boxers making their international debut were not handpicked but were selected in the national championships on merit.

"We have to build a new strong team, and give the upcoming boxers exposure at the big stage," said Hilmi who has been mandated to shop around for the National Technical Director to replace Othmane Fadli. They have also recruited another Cuban coach, Juan Carlos, to handle the national team for the World Youth Championships in Montenegro this month.

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ZAMBIA'S STAR BOXER PATRICK CHINYEMBA PROMOTED
▫️ The newly-crowned IBA Africa flyweight champion is now a Staff Sergeant

The National Olympic Committee of Zambia extends its heartfelt congratulations to Zambia’s boxing sensation, Patrick 'Baddo' Chinyemba (pictured left), on his well-deserved promotion from Sergeant to Staff Sergeant by Zambia National Service (ZNS) Commander Lieutenant General (Engr) Maliti Solochi II. This commendation comes in recognition of Chinyemba’s outstanding performance in the International Boxing Association (IBA) African Night Flyweight engagement last month in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

On 17 August 2024, Chinyemba defeated Ghanaian boxer Theophilus Lopez Allotey via a technical knockout in the fourth round during the IBA Champions Night.

During the presentation at ZNS Headquarters, Lt Gen Solochi urged Chinyemba to continue his journey with unwavering patriotism and dedication. He emphasized that representing Zambia goes beyond the sport, calling on the newly promoted Staff Sergeant to uphold the values of discipline, loyalty, and professionalism in both his boxing career and military service.

The ZNS Commander also encouraged all sportsmen and women to conduct themselves with integrity, both on and off the field, and to avoid public disputes or unguarded social media engagements. He highlighted the importance of discipline and respect, values that distinguish uniformed personnel.

Chief of Sports, Brigadier General Freeman Kafimba, praised Chinyemba’s achievements, noting that he is the only boxer from Zambia to have won twice in the prestigious IBA African Night series. Chinyemba’s first victory was last year in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, where he outpunched Russia’s Artur Nagapetian in a six-round flyweight bout. Brig Gen Kafimba proudly presented Chinyemba as Zambia’s boxing poster boy, further establishing him as a rising star in the sport.

In support of Chinyemba’s continued growth, Zambia Boxing Federation (ZBF) President Mr. Dan Chiteule appealed for greater exposure, calling for both local and international boxers to train alongside him. The Federation is committed to helping Chinyemba defend his title.

🇫🇷 2024 Paris Olympic Games, July 26 - August 10

MUXANGA AFRICA'S 13TH BOXER TO EXIT PARIS OLYMPIC GAMES
▫️ On Thursday six African female boxers are in action

Mexico's Pan American Games 2023 light-middleweight champion Marco Alonso Alvarez claimed Africa's 13th victim at the Paris Olympics boxing tournament on Wednesday, July 31.

He scored a 3-2 points victory over Mozambican Commonwealth Games silver medallist Tiago Muxanga in a scrappy bout characterized by wild punches.

Unliken in his first fight, Muxanga lacked composure against the Mexican and decided to fight instead of boxing him.

With that defeat, Muxanga becomes the 13th African boxer to make an exit in the Paris Games with ten boxers now remaining in the battle for top honours.

Six African female boxers are in action on Thursday, August 1, with Morocco's bantamweight Widad Bertal featuring in the quarter-finals while Algerian flyweight Roumaysa Boualam, and welterweights, DR Congo's Brigitte Mbabi, Algeria's Imane Khelif, Cape Verde's Ivanusa Moreira and Alcinda Dos Santos of Mozambique appearing in the pre-quarters.

✍🏼 AFBC Communications