One of the greatest moments in a boxing event, the important and spectacular semi-finals were held at the 10th All-Africa Games. Seven boxers from Algeria and three athletes from Tunisia, Nigeria and Mauritius advanced to the finals.
AIBA President's Cup silver medalist, 24-year-old Willy Thomas Essomba is Cameroon's biggest weapon. The powerful fighter did his best and advanced to the light flyweight final after beating Uganda's last hope in Maputo, Beijing Olympian Ronald Serugo by 10:8. Essomba will fight for the gold against Arabic Championships silver medallist, 21-year-old Algerian Mohamed Flissi.
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, 21-year-old Oteng Oteng, has become the first boxer from Botswana to reach a final in Maputo. The talented athlete eliminated Mozambique's Artur Crimildo Guifutela by a close 13:9 and will face African Championships bronze medallist, Algerian Samir Brahimi, in the flyweight final.
The second local semi-finalist, Antonio Macie Watch, also lost his dream to qualify for the final because of his defeat against Beijing Olympic Games bronze medallist, 33-year-old Mauritian Bruno Julie, by 16:12. The veteran's next opponent will be Algeria's new hope, Reda Benbaziz, who will celebrate his 18th birthday on the final day and hope to be covered in gold.
In the lightweight class, Tunisia's surprise, Ahmed Mejri, not only secured bronze but also advanced to the final after defeating former African Champion, Mauritian Jean John Colin, by 24:11. Botswana's 29-year-old Mmoloki Nogeng also reached his career highlight in the semi-final in dominating Cameroons Abdon Mewoli.
African Champion and Mauritius' superstar, 24-year-old Richarno Colin, overwhelmed African Championships bronze medallist, Botswana's Gomotsang Gaasite, by 16:4. The unbeaten favourite of the light welterweight division can expects a great battle in the final against Tunisia's Abderrazak Haouia.
Cameroon's other star, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Memorial Tournament winner and Beijing Olympian, Joseph Mulema, defeated Kenya's only medallist in Maputo, multiple National Champion Rayton Nduku Okwiri. Commonwealth Games competitor, 19-year-old Nigerian Kehinde Ademuyiwa, stopped South Africa's Siphiwe Lusizi and also advanced to the welterweight final.
Algeria's veteran and middleweight No.2, Saad Kaddous, had a perfect day in Maputo where he triumphed over Youth Olympian, 19-year-old Nigerian Muideen Akanji, by 11:8. The Algerian fighter can expect another hard battle against the Mauritian favourite, reigning African Champion, teenager Kennedy St. Pierre.
Algeria's No.1, Abdelhafid Benchebla, is the only African boxer who has already secured his ticket for the 2012 London Olympic Games. The 25-year-old light heavyweight star was too strong for Francophone Games bronze medallist, Cameroons Christian Donfack Adjoufack, and will fight against Nigeria's Lukmon Lawal for gold.
The sixth Algerian of these semi-finals was African Championships silver medallist and WSB boxer, Chouaib Bouloudinat. He secured the North African country's sixth victory in Maputo by eliminating African Champion, Cameroons Romaric Ngoula Tangoum, by 18:12 in the heavyweight class. The third Nigerian boxer to compete in the semi-finals, Apochi Efetobor, secured the most populated African nation's third place in the finals.
African Zonal champion, Tunisia's Aymen Trabelsi, kept his hopes in Maputo by defeating Paolo Schaffer by 18:10. Therefore South Africa already secured four bronze medals in Maputo. Trabelsi's opponent for gold will be Algeria's veteran Kamel Rahmani.
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