The African Cup of Nations started and yesterday in the capital city of Botswana, Gaborone where 46 athletes are fighting in a Robin Round format.
Mauritius' Commonwealth Youth Games bronze medallist 18-year-old Didier Cornet has been preparing to the upcoming AIBA Youth World Championships and did an active preparation in Gaborone where he opened with a great victory over Gabon's tough Marcus Edou Ngoua. The final scoring was 14:12 to the Mauritian teenager.
Algeria's Arab Games competitor and No.3 at the light flyweight class Ahmed Meziane had enough experience to beat Tunisia's National Champion Achraf Jebali who is competing in his first ever international competition. The veteran Algerian boxer won their contest by 16:9 and has got good chance to reach a top result in Gaborone.
Algeria's AIBA Youth World Championships competitor 20-year-old Fahem Hammachi who was silver medallist in the last edition of the event moved up into the flyweight division and opened with a close victory over Botswana's newcomer Marshall Mokgwaela. The final verdict of their equal contest was 13:12 to Hammachi.
Botswana's former team captain, Commonwealth Games bronze medallist 22-year-old Tirafalo Seoko failed his National Olympic Trials and won't be able to compete in the qualification event. Bantamweight fighter Seoko was to strong for Zimbabwe's newcomer Milton Moyo who was also defeated by Gabon's London Olympian veteran Romeo Braexir Lemboumba in the second competition day.
South Africa's All Africa Games bronze medallist Ayabonga Sonjica from Eastern Cape did not give too many chance to Mauritius' super talented National Champion Yanish Hurpersad who will be celebrating his 17th birthday only later this year. The Mauritian talent won his second contest in Gaborone against Mozambique's Antonio Tavete Valdo in a hectic battle and proved his excellent footwork again.
Algeria's Olympic Test Event bronze medallist Brahim Oukil opened the competition with a triumph over Mozambique's All Africa Games bronze medallist Antonio Macie Watch while South Africa's Sinethemba Bam overwhelmed Zimbabwe's National Champion Beven Nyamondera in the same lightweight class in Gaborone.
Mozambique's boxing life developed a lot last year when their association was the host of the All Africa Games. Its top welterweight boxer Maputo Cup winner Fernando Maquina Gento opened his competition with a victory over Gabon's National Champion Yannick Mitoumba who could beat Mauritius' AIBA Youth World Championships competitor 20-year-old Jonathan Ramchurn by close 9:8.
Guinea's World Military Games competitor Mamadou Cire Keita defeated the host nation's newcomer in the national squad Rantutu Kgologbogile by 14:11. Tsenang Mohohutso restored Botswana's winning balance and made local fans proud by making great efforts at the light heavyweight class following his easy victory against Guinea's National Champion Mamadou Samba Barry.
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