MBABANE – Eswatini’s ambitious dream of fighting their way to a gold medal at the IBA Africa Elite Men’s and Women’s Championship has gone up in smoke.
Both of the country’s representatives Thabiso Dlamini and Chawe Gamedze have been eliminated well short of the podium places at the International Boxing Association (IBA) African Championships in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Team Eswatini, guided by Head Coach Muzi Shongwe were handed a strict mandate to return home with gold. Instead, they will fly back empty-handed.
On Saturday, October 24, veteran pugilist Dlamini suffered a controversial 5–2 defeat following a refereeing ruling against host-nation fighter Ndziki Ngatoum Roycleric. The bout took place in the welterweight division (63.5–67kg) on day three of the preliminary rounds at the Stade des Martyrs Gymnasium.
Dlamini’s exit followed Friday’s defeat for Gamedze, who crashed out against Ghana’s 20-year-old prodigy Ebenezer Ankrah, who was fresh from representing his nation at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games in July.
According to African Boxing News, Ankrah not only outclassed the Eswatini fighter but won over the Kinshasa crowd by finishing the contest essentially with one hand. Despite sustaining a right-arm injury early in the bout, the Ghanaian dictated terms to secure a unanimous 3–0 decision, advancing to the quarter-finals of the men’s lightweight (60kg) division.
The double defeat leaves Eswatini’s contingent completely out of medal contention as the tournament progresses.
Preliminary Round Results (Day 3)
Minimumweight (46–48kg): Sibanda Blessing (Zimbabwe) def. Yiga Aaron Mulindwa (Uganda) – WP 4–1
Welterweight (63.5–67kg): Hernany Jose Limagones (Cape Verde) def. Damesi Simamkele (South Africa) – KO Rd 3
Welterweight (63.5–67kg): Lukwago Sadick (Uganda) def. Diop Papa Mor (Senegal) – WP 5–0
Welterweight (63.5–67kg): Pooana Khoahli (Lesotho) def. Abdelrazikh Abdoussadih Abdrahmane (Chad) – DISQ Rd 2
Welterweight (63.5–67kg): Kadri Mohamadou (Cameroon) def. Aminu Yosuf Afolabi (Côte d’Ivoire) – WP 5–0
Welterweight (63.5–67kg): Fousseyni Traore (Mali) def. Alalawi Mohammed Tariq Ahmed (Libya) – WP 5–0
Welterweight (63.5–67kg): Kabinda Gerald (Zambia) def. Luzolo Inoque Antonio Miguel (Angola) – WP 5–0
Welterweight (63.5–67kg): Ilunga Musuasua Folly (DR Congo) def. Mathanga Ignoungou Frydict Kenneth (Gabon) – WO
Welterweight (63.5–67kg): Ndziki Ngatoum Roycleric (Republic of the Congo) def. Dlamini Thabiso Selby (Eswatini) – WP 5–2 (B.R)
Light Middleweight (67–71kg): Disasui Yenge Joseph (DR Congo) def. Diallo Bakari (Mali) – WP 5–2 (B.R)
Light Middleweight (67–71kg): Felemo Tetane Joao Eduardo (Angola) def. Sane Lading (Senegal) – DISQ Rd 3
Light Middleweight (67–71kg): Thai Refiloe (Lesotho) def. Ndlovu Christian (Zimbabwe) – KO Rd 1
Light Middleweight (67–71kg): Yacoubalawali Baro Mohamed (Niger) def. Yantou Koloko Crepin (Cameroon) – RSC Rd 1
Light Middleweight (67–71kg): Mohammad Saeid Othman (Libya) def. Nestor Nduwarugira (Burundi) – RSC Rd 2
Light Heavyweight (75–80kg): Nlandu Nbeli Nathan (DR Congo) def. Sindigue Baglong (Chad) – RSC Rd 2
