Sierra Leone Boxing Association has on the 3rd April kicked off with the Zone two Championship at the Bintumani Conference Hall at Aberdeen in Freetown.
By: MOHAMED ABU CONTEH
A total of eleven countries are taking part in Zone two Championships including the host nation Sierra Leone.
According to Sara Haghaizat Secretary General of the competition who also doubles as the Secretary of Senegal Boxing Federation, said the Championship is to expose Boxers across Africa and encourage more female boxers to involve in Boxing. She noted that in 2019 the Championship fails to hold as many things prevented them from staging the Championship, but they are glad that they were able to host it which is good for the West African Countries.
The President of the Sierra Leone Boxing Association, Solomon Kargbo said the hosting of the Championship has marked a milestone in the history of Boxing in Sierra Leone, they are happy to see that the event is held after a lot of challenges to hold it.
He affirmed that after the Championship, Sierra Leone Female Boxers will be preparing to represent the Country in the World Championships that are set to take place in May this year and they will have to camp the team out of Sierra Leone, he noted that the Association is working tirelessly to be competing with Football among the Sporting disciplines in the Country.
According to Alhaji Komba, the Secretary-General of Sierra Leone Boxing Association said the day has been a moment the Association has been dreaming about hosting such a Championship and they cannot do it without the contribution of the media who have a pivotal role in disseminating about the Championship to the public.
He said, “On the part as Sierra Leone the host Country, we have prepared well and our Boxers have been in Camp for the past two weeks with their coaches.” He noted that we are grateful we can now be boastful to have secured the naturalization of Sara the Canadian boxer who has a Sierra Leone background to represent the country in the Championship.”
“Sierra Leone is aiming to be crowned champion, not because we are hosting, but Champion because we have the required boxers and we want to win the inaugural one at home.”
According to the records, Guinea has won the Championships (8) times while Sierra Leone has won two times, they last won it in (1984 and 2008) respectively and for the new format this is the inaugural one which is host 16 Countries in West Africa.
In the opening ceremony of the bout, three Sierra Leoneans took the stage.
Flyweight 51Kg: Red Mamadou Lamine Bara falls from Senegal fight with Blue Arnold Koroma from Sierra Leone and Arnold Koroma won the fight.
Round four-fight 57kg Lightweight: Red Joseph Palmer from Sierra Leone fights against Blue Elisandro Da Silva from Cape Verde and after an intense bout Elisandro Da Silva won the fight.
