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Ronald Mashinga, Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE boxers Ndabezinhle Phiri, Brendon Dene and Freeman Mabvongwe were punched out of the 2020 African Boxing Qualification tournament in Dakar, Senegal.

The African Boxing Qualification serve as the Tokyo Olympics qualifiers.

Phiri lost 0-5 to Ghanaian Sulemanu Tetteh in the flyweight division, while Dene lost 1-4 to Fiston Mbaya of the DR Congo in the lightweight category. Mabvongwe lost 0-5 to Mokhachane Moshoeshoe of Lesotho.

“I am impressed with the boys, they have done wonders in Senegal to reach this far. Unfortunately, we did not reach our goal in qualifying for the Olympics, but I am happy they had the chance to play at international level,” said Arvian Mathe, Zimbabwe Boxing Federation secretary-general.

The top three boxers in each category in both the men’s and women’s events will automatically qualify for the Olympics. There will be another chance to qualify for the Olympics at the World Qualification Event in Paris, France, in May.

“If funds permit, we will send maybe two or three of the boxers to Paris for another shot at the Olympics,” Mathe said. 

The Olympics boxing tournament will feature 186 male and 100 female boxers competing in 13 weight categories of the global event.