Two Nigerian boxers, Patricia Mbata and Shukurah Kareem have advanced to the round of 16 at the ongoing World Olympic Qualifiers in Busto Arsizio, Italy, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
For Nigeria, Africa middleweight silver medallist Mbata and Kareem alongside Ghana’s top flyweight Theophilus Allotey and Cameroon’s Thomas Mboua powered their way to the last 16.
Mbatia stopped Tonga’s Eseta Flint in the third round, Allotey outpointed Tashi Wangdi from Bhutan and Mboua squeezed a 3-2 win over Korea’s Kim Dohyeon, and now meets Norway’s Omar Shiha, while Allotey takes on Korea’s Inkyu Kim and Mbata will square it out with Monica Langerova from Czechoslovakia in the last 16 bouts on Saturday (today).
Some other Africans suffered unfortunate results in the round of 32 as Liz Andiego (Kenya) lost 5-0 to Stonkute Gabriela (Lithuania) and Molka Mabrouk (Tunisia) lost on points to Louisa Vasquez (Columbia).
In Super-heavyweight, Ghana’s Mark Ahondjo lost on a walkover to Spain’s Ghadfa Drissi, Senegal’s Diarga Balde was stopped in the first round by Cuba’s world silver medallist Fernando Arzola, Keddy Agnes from Seychelles lost 5-0 to Iman Ramezanpourdelavar from Ireland.
In the Flyweight division, Namibia’s Trofimus Johannes lost to Roscoe Hill of the USA, Cape Verde’s David Pina was stopped in the third round by Inkyu Kim of Korea, Morocco’s Africa champ Said Mortaj suffered a round two KO by Filipino Rogen Ladon, Kenya’s David Karanja beaten 5-0 by Kazakhstan’s Olympic bronze medallist and 2021 world champ Saken Bibossinov.
