African Championships bronze medallist, 32-year-old Gabonese Romeo Braexir Lemboumba caused the biggest surprise of the day at the AIBA African Olympic Qualifying Event in Casablanca when he eliminated Mauritius' Beijing 2008 Olympic Games bronze medallist Bruno Julie.
The Bantamweights already faced each other last year and Julie dominated that contest in Yaounde, Cameroon. On their re-match, Lemboumba made an excellent performance and won the fight despite Julie's efforts in the last round. The final verdict of their bout was 20:16 to a magnificent Lemboumba who will now meet African Youth Champion Tunisian Bilel M'Hamdi in quarter-finals.
Ghana's 18-year-old UK based Isaac Dogboe who was silver medallist at the English Youth National Championships last year, eliminated a strong North African boxer at bantamweight. Dogboe won each of the three narrow rounds against Egypt's Arab Games bronze medallist Mohamed Bedir Hassan and triumphed over his experienced rival by 15:12. Dogboe's next opponent will be Tanzania's Emilian Patrick Pollino, a member of the national squad since 2002.
Mauritius' All Africa Games winner and Beijing Olympian Louis Richarno Colin was unbeaten last year but could not fight at the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Baku due his hand injury. The Mauritian light welterweight star recovered and overwhelmed Gambia's last hope Ensa Jammeh in his debut in Casablanca. Colin's next rival will be Morocco's World Military Games silver medallist Abdelhak Aatakni who is another gold medal contender in the qualification event.
Tunisia's All Africa Games silver medallist Abderrazak Haouia did his best in Casablanca and eliminated the first Algerian boxer in the qualification event, African Championships silver medallist Sid Ali Berrag due his great final round. The Tunisian athlete's next opponent will be Zambia's Gilbert Chombe who knocked out Niger's 'AIBA Road to London Program' member Adamou Mounkaila.
Cameroon's Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Memorial Tournament silver medallist Serge Ambomo demonstrated his power against Ethiopia's newcomer Mekbebe Kemal. The strong light welterweight boxer made a great show in Casablanca and advanced to the quarter-final winning their contest by 17:4. Ambomo will be facing with Burkina Faso's 'AIBA Road to Baku Program' member Brice Romaric Bassole in the next round.
Morocco's Arab Games silver medallist Badreddine Haddioui shocked another Mauritian boxer in the third competition day. The local favourite led by 5:2 after three minutes fight against Mauritius' All Africa Games winner Kennedy St. Pierre and finally he eliminated his younger rival by impressive 16:6. Haddioui's next opponent will be Africa's last boxer who could win a medal in an AIBA World Championships, Egypt's Mohamed Abdelmaghoud Hekal who is fighting the chance of his fourth participation in the history of the Olympics.
Namibia's great middleweight hope Beijing Olympian Desmond Mujandjae Kasuto had a closer contest against Gabon's Chanel Tessa Tonda than as expected before the contest. The Namibian No.1 had to use up all of his technique to beat his rival but finally he could celebrate the victory and will now meet Tunisia's Hassan Chagtemi in the quarter-final.
Ghana's another UK based boxer 20-year-old Lerrone Richards opened with an easy victory in the first preliminary round while he continued the winning path in Casablanca. Richards was too strong for DR Congo's National Champion Konga Dady Bola who lost his chance to qualify to the London Olympics.
Algeria's AIBA World Championships quarter-finalist Chouaib Bouloudinat who is representing the Astana Arlans franchise in the WSB, did not give too many chance to Sierra Leone's newcomer Abdul Rashid Bangura. The Algerian heavyweight boxer knocked out his opponent still in the first round and advanced to the semi-final stage of the tournament where he will fight against Tunisia's National Champion Chedli Jemi.
Ghana's WSB boxer Maxwell Amponsah and Nigeria's All Africa Games silver medallist Efetobor Apochi did a great battle in the heavyweight quarter-final. Amponsah started the fight better, saved his short advantage until the final gong and will be fighting for the quota against Kenya's two-time All Africa Games bronze medallist veteran Daniel Shisia who eliminated Cameroon's WSB fighter Romaric Ngoula Tangoum.
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