20 Feb 2024

Botswana’s renowned former boxer, now coach and instructor, Khumiso Ikgopoleng is working hard to leave a mark in the international arena. Ikgopoleng, an Olympian and former boxer of note, is currently based in Bahrain, in the middle East, working for AI Nakheel Fitness Club as a head coach.

“The clubs here are way bigger than what we have at home. 

If it was a football team, I would put it at the level of European clubs such as the likes of Manchester United. The boxing clubs are dominated by experienced and elite athletes,” he said.

Even though based in Bahrain with Al Nakheel, Ikgopoleng said the flexible work environment allowed for other boxing clubs in other Middle East countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar to engage his services. 

“Though based at Bahrain I constantly made trips to Saudi Arabia and Qatar,” he said.  He was recently in the country to conduct a boxing coaching course organised by Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA).    He said his journey into boxing started at secondary school and he continued to go up the ladder to become a regular in the national team. 

His boxing career started taking shaping in 1997 at Lobatse Senior Secondary School, where he was with the likes of current BoBA president, Gilbert Khunwane. He was quickly spotted by national team coaches, and on being called for national duty, he got even more focused.

“I worked hard to become a permanent member of the national team. I made sure that I always emerged victorious in my fights. The ring was my place of dominance, and whoever came before me would bite the dust,” he said.   

 He stayed in Cuba for five years between 2001 and 2006. From Cuba, Ikgopoleng had a stopover at the United States, where he remained for three years, followed by yet another passage to the Middle East in 2018.

Ikgopoleng said his stay in Bahrain was interrupted in 2021 by the COVID-19 pandemic forcing him to return home.

Ikgopoleng stated that his initial three years stay Bahrain was worth it as he managed to produce four national team boxers, among them medals winners in the Asian Games and Championships.

Post the pandemic and having gone back to Bahrain, he was hopeful to continue his journey of developing strong boxers.

Ikgopoleng said his love for boxing had taken him through the journey, which he was now on.  After retiring from active play, he ventured into coaching. His breakthrough came with the move to Cuba, where he combined competitive boxing with training to become a coach. Interestingly, Ikgopoleng disclosed that he never applied for most of the opportunities that had come his way.

 Instead, he was recruited based on his experience He said in most cases he was approached by potential employers through his Instagram page, who would take him through an interview before employing him.  

“I believe my resume and what I shared on my Instagram page and other social media platforms also worked for me. I suspect that whatever I posted was read by many people and some got interested in the qualities I possess as a boxing coach and instructor,” he said.  

Among the highlights of his career, he counts representing Botswana at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, being the first local boxer to achieve such a feat.  Ends