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Sports Reporter
LOBENGULA Youth Centre’s up-and-coming pugilist Wiseman Tshuma took the best boxer accolade at an international amateur boxing bill held at Mathonisa Beer Garden in Mpopoma on Saturday.

Tshuma was among six Zimbabwean amateur boxers that traded leather against Botswana pugilists.

Tshuma won his bantamweight bout against Gabosaone Potlako Kgogobi on points, with the judges unanimous that the clash was “the fight of the day”.

Arvian Mathe, the Zimbabwe Boxing Federation secretary-general (amateur), was full of praise for Zimbabwean pugilists and said they are considering hosting a five-nation tournament in Victoria Falls next month.

Mathe said the regional amateur boxing competition is set for September and will feature boxers from Zambia, Malawi, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

“We had a good boxing weekend in Bulawayo on Saturday and we’re grateful to Mathonisa for playing host to the bout and taking boxing to the people. We had six international fights, of which our boxers won three and Botswana also took three. We won the tournament after our boxer Wiseman Tshuma was voted the best boxer.

“Our focus is now on the National Youth Games to be held in Matabeleland North. After that we will start preparing for a regional tournament, which will feature five countries. Botswana wants to host us, but because of the Youth Games, we can’t travel, meaning we may go there after hosting the five countries sometime in September,” Mathe said.

The first bout of the day was a flyweight division fight won on points by Botswana’s Otukile Rajab Mohammed, who beat Justice Nyoni of Hwange.

Zibusiso Nyoni of Nketa Boxing Club went on to lose on points to Tefo Kesotshepa Matewa of Botswana in a bantamweight fight before Tshuma went onto the stage to steal the show with some sleek moves that won the audience’s admiration. The fourth bout went Zimbabwe’s way, with Ndodana Ncube of Gwanda beating Pitso Mmopiemang on points in a lightweight contest. It was sweet revenge for the Zimbabwean, who lost to Mmopiemang at the 2014 Africa Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region Five Youth Games held in Bulawayo. Then, the two battled it out in the bantamweight division.

Hwange-based Future Maziya won the welterweight fight on points against Boifang Kanaope before World Championship bound Mmusi Tswiinge drew level for Botswana when he claimed a tightly contested middleweight fight against Farai Makumbe of Gwanda.