Algerian heroes dominate in Casablanca

30.04.2012

Day 2


Marathon sessions were held this Sunday at the AIBA African Olympic Qualifying Event Casablanca 2012. The host nation failed in another two bouts while Africa's top boxing nation, Algeria, kept its perfect balance after two competition days.


Mozambique's promising boxer, Roberto Balado Memorial Cup silver medallist Juliano Maquina who made his debut at elite level last year and prepared for this event in Cuba, showed his skills against Mauritius' 17-year-old Didier Cornet at light flyweight. After a pretty close first round, Maquina dominated the contest and advanced to the quarter-finals beating his teenager rival 24:14.


Arab Games bronze medallist 22-year-old Egypt's Ramy Helmy El-Awadi opened his competition against the top favourite of the light flyweight category, Namibia's team captain veteran Japhet Uutoni, a gold medallist at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. The Egyptian's assaults resulted in an early end of the bout. Japhet Uutoni won't therefore be able to fight in his second Summer Olympics in London.


Algeria's All-Africa Games silver medallist Mohamed Flissi made his debut in Casablanca against Kenya's Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Memorial Tournament winner veteran Peter Mungai Warui. The Algerian had a narrow first victory last year in Maputo while on their re-match, today, the score line was even after three minutes. Flissi had an incredible second round thus the Kenyan ringside decided to abandon the contest in the middle of their fight.


All-Africa Games silver medallist 22-year-old Samir Brahimi also made a great performance in the Moroccan city. The Algerian flyweight No.1 did not leave too many hopes to Morocco's African Championships silver medallist Abdelfattah Nafil. Brahimi was leading 12:5 before the last round and managed to keep a comfortable advantage till the end. His next rival will be Vllaznia Memorial Tournament winner, Tunisian Montassar Bouali in the quarter-finals.


Botswana's defending All Africa Games winner 22-year-old Oteng Oteng was ahead 5:2 against Gabon's Franck Mombey after the first round and found the best fighting distance against his lower rival. The flyweight favourite won their bout 16:6 and will now meet AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Egyptian Hesham Yehya Mahmoud Abdelaal.


Egypt's World Combat Games winner Mohamed Ramadan Eliwa, a member of the national squad since 2004, unexpectedly failed to qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The 26-year-old Egyptian lightweight No.1 kept his London dreams alive against the local fans favourite, former AIBA Junior World Champion, Moroccan Mehdi Ouatine. After a very tactical first round, Eliwa landed clearer punches in the second three minutes and finally got the closest victory of the day.


Seychelles' great hope, Indian Ocean Islands Games winner 20-year-old Andrique Allisop has permanently increased his advantage against Senegal's AIBA World Boxing Championships competitor Matar Sambou and finally won their lightweight bout by 11:6. His next opponent will be Kenya's Police teenager Denis Okoth who eliminated Zambia's inexperienced Bazila Ngosa.


Another lightweight star in Africa, Algeria's Beijing 2008 Olympic Games quarter-finalist Abdelkader Chadi had an easier way to the quarter-finals than his coaches expected. The Algerian star eliminated All-Africa Games silver medallist, 30-year-old Botswana Mmoloki Nogeng by a large margin of points (21:5) and will face Benin's strong WSB fighter Shafick Chitou.


AIBA World Boxing Championships competitor Mali's Mohamed Diaby eliminated a welterweight favourite in Casablanca. Diaby made a great run in the second round against AIBA Youth World Championships quarter-finalist Ghanaian Azumah Mohammed and his efforts resulted in one of the biggest surprise of the day. Diaby's next rival will be Gabon's All-Africa Games competitor Yannick Mitoumba Mbemy who eliminated Mauritius' Jonathan Ramchurn.


All Africa Games winner and Beijing Olympian, Cameroon's Joseph Mulema overwhelmed Sierra Leone's Mohamed Sillah by 22:4 at welterweight while Algeria's African Championships silver medallist Ilyas Abbadi turned his fight back against Tunisia's Aymen Mejri in the same weight category.


Morocco's strong WSB boxer Mohamed Arjaoui who shocked Russia's European Champion Sergey Kuzmin at the last AIBA World Boxing Championships in Baku, opened his competition against Tunisia's Aymen Trabelsi at super heavyweight. The host nation's pride was leading 4:3 after three minutes but could increase this short advantage to eliminate his strong North African rival.


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