*Africa Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships, July 27 to August 5* - Sports Beat (Eko Chronicles)

*THRILLS AND SPILLS IN QUARTERS* 

Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco, Cameroon and DR Congo boxers were among the winners who walked tall in Monday's quarter final bouts.

Men's round of 16 light-welterweight bouts produced the expected fireworks with DR Congo's Mulumba Mbaya, wildly cheered on by his teammates here, scoring a split points win over fancied Cameroon's Oumarou Mohamed in what was a keenly contested fight but Eswatini's Thabiso Dlamini found the going rough, losing to Mali's Bakari Diallo via a first round stoppage.

Nigeria's female light-flyweight Adeola Uyesiji (pictured) was in a no-nonsense mood against Cameroon's Mbele Chemene in the first quarter-final bout of the day. After subjecting Chimene to two standing counts, the referee waved it off to save Chemene from further embarrassment at home.

South Africa's Mathiba Thandolwethu Truelove and DR Congo's Benedicte Diyoka were next in action in the women's light-flyweight class. The South African cruised to the semis with a unanimous points victory.

"l'm happy I've won, my major goal is to make it to the finals," said Thandolwethu who was named Truelove by her mum because of the joy she had in giving birth to her first born child. lndeed she's her truelove. 

Kenya remained on top in East Africa's bragging rights battle with rivals Uganda who lost all their quarter-final bouts. It was another frustrating day for the ambitious Uganda Boxing Federation President Moses Muhangi whose Champions League products are finding the going rough in Yaounde. The only consolation for the Ugandans was Amiri Ssali's points win over Kenya's Ethan Maina in the lightweight round of 16.

Bantamweight Amina Martha Faki, a product of Kenya's top junior boxing coach Benson Gicharu who taught her all the fundamentals, saved Kenya's blushes emerging as only winner among the four quarter-finalists. Light-welter Teresiah Wanjiru, minimumweight Abednego Kyalo and super-heavyweight Fred Ramogi were all sent packing.

Amina stopped South Africa's Sibisi Lethokuhle in a dominant fashion as the South African received two standing counts.

Wanjiru was stopped by Cameroon's Mbala Jeanine, Kyalo proved no match for DR Congo's Zola Tulembekwa and Ramogi stopped by Maputo silver medallist Mourad Kadi of Algeria.

There was respite however for the Kenyans following the preliminary victories of bantamweight Shaffi Bakari and stylish featherweight who won silver in Maputo Samuel Njau, one of the favourites for the gold medal here.

Uganda's quarter-finalists, Joseph Kalema, Naddia Najjemba and Sharia Ndigire made an early exit from the competition. 

Burundi's silver medallist in last year's Africa Championships in Maputo, Ornella Havyarimana, went down fighting against Benilde Macaringue of Mozambique.

In post-match interview with AFBC Communications, Havyarimana attributed her indifferent showing  to inadequate preparations due to inactivity occasioned by illness.

"Since I won silver, I've not been very active because I was unwell, I didn't train much for this tournament," said Havyarimana.

"My boxer Ornella suffered food poisoning, she's been out of training for almost three months seeking treatment," said coach Joseph Nkamicaniye. 

There was fire in men's round of 16 light-welterweight bouts, the hightlight being DR Congo's Mbaya Mulumba's split points victory over Cameroon'svfancied  Oumarou Mohammed.

"My coach advised me to move around because he was a strong puncher, it worked well for me," said Mulumba who was mobbed by his excited teammates after the fight.

A lot was expected from Eswatini's Thabiso Dlamini in view of the advanced training he has undergone in Moscow but he was stopped in the first round by Mali's Bakari Diallo. He accused the Mali boxer of constantly using rabbit punches.

"My opponent from Mali employed dirty tricks, he was always punching the back of my head," said Thabiso who was fighting in the light-welterweight division for the first time in the Africa Championships.

The biggest upset of Monday's schedule  was the defeat of Morocco's Mediterranean Games champion Mohamed Hamout who was stopped in the first round by Comoros'  Mohamed Radjay in men's lightweight round of 16.

First session quarter-final results

Women's light-fly: Nigeria's Adeola Uyesiji (pictured left with teammate Omole Dolapo) stopped in the first round Mvele Chimene (Cameroon), Mathiba Thandolwethu (South Africa) beat Benedicta Diyoka (DRC) and Morocco's Rabab Cheddar stopped Senegal's Dieynaba Diallo in the third round.

Women's light-welter: Cameroon's Mbala Jeanine stopped Kenya's Teresiah Wanjiru.

Women's light-middle: Mozambican  defending champion Alcinda dos Santos outpointed Morocco's Saida Lahmidi.

Men's minimumweight: Cameroon's Marcial Wouang stopped in the third round Uganda's Joseph Kalema, South Africa's Lubabalo Lusizi beat Morocco's Hamza Essaadi on split decision and DR Congo's Zola Tulembekwa outpointed Kenya's Abebnego Kyalo.

Second session quarter-final results 

Women's bantamweight: Charming Morocco's Widad Bertal charmed her to the semis by stopping Senegal's Ndye Ndaw in round one, Burundi's Ornella Havyarimana was outpointed by Benilde Macaringue of Mozambique, Algeria's Fatma Abdelkader outpointed Uganda's Nadia Najjemba and Kenya's Amina Martha Faki stopped South Africa's Sibisi Lethokuhle.

Women's featherweight: Cameroon's Stephane Dorine outpointed Algeria's Chahira Selmouni, Morocco's Nouhaila Hlioui outpointed Uganda's Sharua Ndhgire and DR Congo's Maputo silver medallist Marcelat Sakobi outpointed Dieynabou Diallo of Senegal.

Men's super-heavyweight: Cameroon's Serge Zacharie stopped Nigeria's Adedeji Agebola whose seconders threw in the towel in round two, Algeria's Mourad Kadi stopped Kenya's Fred Ramogi and Keddy Evans Agne of Sychelles outpointed DR Congo's Sadiki Maroy.

✍🏼 *_AFBC Communications_*