There’s light at the end of tunnel ahead
The recent Zone Four tournament has given a glimmer of hope to local amateur boxing that it might be re-awoken from its slumber.
This after the SA team who travelled to compete among the seven nations in Mozambique won the silver medal losing to the hosts by just one medal.
In fact Mozambique only came out tops due to the dominance of its female boxers who romped to a four-gold medal haul while SA could only claim two silver.
In the male section, both countries were tied at two gold medals each but SA had an edge in the overall medal tally as it also won four silver to Mozambique's two.
SA National Boxing Organisation (Sanabo) president Andile Mofu who accompanied the team was overjoyed with the resilience and tenacity his troops showed in challenging conditions in Maputo.
“We are confident that we have a team to represent the country in major championships,” he said.
“The boxers all put their lives on the line as they battled on even terms with the hosts.”
Led by Mdantsane's dazzling star Asanda Gingqi who won a gold medal together with Siyabonga Mpongoshe, the SA team collected 10 medals in total falling short of the hosts with just four.
Zimbabwe came third with two gold medals which when tallied with other accolades only managed to net eight.
Mofu said the championships were used to serve as preparatory exercise for the two SA boxers who will represent the country at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast in Australia from April 5 to 15.
The SA representatives will be Mpongoshe and Sinethemba Blom of East London but based in Cape Town.
Blom won a silver medal in Mozambique but Mofu allayed any fears that he could be found wanting at the Commonwealth Games.
“Like we said the Zone Four championships were just a preparatory event but it also helped us gauge the standard of our fighters in international events,” he said.
Mpongoshe and Blom will depart for a training camp in Ukraine this Saturday.
The pair will be trying to emulate current SA welterweight champion Thulani Mbenge who won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland four years ago.
Mbenge has evolved into a world-class boxer as he underlined his talent with a one-sided win over Mexican Diego Cruz to claim the vacant WBC International title at Emperors Palace this past weekend.