24 Jul 2016

Former boxers as well as friends of the boxing fraternity took turns on July 22 to shower praises to undoubtedly the most successful boxing club in the country, the UB-Tsholofelo boxing stable at an event to mark its 30th anniversary. 

UB-Tsholofelo boxing stable chairperson, also former hard hitting pugilist, France Mabiletsa said when the club started training at UB in 1986, the objective was to capture all boxers moving to the city for studies.

“We agreed on the name ‘Tsholofelo’ as a name of hope. We hoped to stand the test of time. We wanted people to have hopes in us and believed we would in time bring dignity to this country, dignity signified by the raising of our flag and singing the national anthem at international events,” Mabiletsa said.

Indeed, that had come to pass, success at continental and world stages becoming the order of the day. The crop of boxers from that generation of the early 90s became the best in in their own right. 

In 1988, Shakes Kubuetsile of UB and Magare Tshekiso of Jwaneng club represented the country at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Thuso Khubamang, Ogaisitsemang Medupe and Mabiletsa soon travelled to Egypt for the 1991 All Africa Games and Botswana tasted the first medal at an international showpiece through Mabiletsa’s bronze. 

Mabiletsa was to continue his sojourn with a medal at the 1994 Commonwealth Games. That was two years since his return from Barcelona Olympics. 

Healer Modiradilo, Gilbert Khunwane, Lesley Sekotswe and Lechedzani Luza joined the bandwagon of the cream of the stable who continued to hoist the country’s flag high. History was also recorded when Khumiso Ikgopoleng became the first ever Motswana boxer to reach an Olympic quarter final and was later invited to the World Champs in Russia. 

UB deputy vice chancellor, Professor Martin Mokgwathi applauded the boxing stable for making an effort to produce future leaders through sport. 

“I wish UB-Tsholofelo boxing club continued success, may you continue to lift the flag of this country higher and higher. As UB, we will continue to honour our part of the pact even though we face shrinking financial resources. However, we are the boxers and boxers are tough and when the going gets tough boxers get going,” Mokgwathi said.

Top class boxers from the stable Ikgopoleng and Luza were bestowed Presidential Certificate of Honour in the past while Mabiletsa had received Presidential Order of Meritorious Service and was last year inducted in the Botswana Hall of Fame. Ends