Changalawe fight Norwegian boxer today
ROME, ITALY: TANZANIAN boxer, Yusuf Changalawe will face Norway’s Mindaugas Gedminas in the round of 32 of the World Olympic Qualifiers in Busto Arsizio, Italy today.
Changalawe is among the five African boxers who won their fights in the round of 64 on the second day of the qualifiers.
The other four African winners include Prewa Pawabadi of Togo, Tryagain Ndevelo of Namibia, Soulaimane Samghouli of Morocco and Islem Ferchichi of Tunisia.
The qualifying campaign started on Monday in Busto Arsizio, Italy. Changalawe is accompanied by his coach, Mohamed Abubakari, and an official from the Tanzania Olympic Committee, Henry Tandau.
In his opening fight, he won against Venezuelan boxer Pereira Diego by knockout. After his victory, he said the key to his victory was not giving his opponent any room for recovery after he floored him in the first minute.
“I am happy I won my fight, I realised he wanted me to play his game but I was ahead of him and released my power punches to stop him,” Changalawe noted.
An elated coach Mohammed Bakari was happy Changalawe followed his instructions.
“I told him not to let his opponent recover, hit him hard to keep him dazed or knock him out,” said Bakari.
A total of 602 players from the National Olympic Committees of 113 countries are participating in the competition, competing for 49 places in 13 different weight categories.
There are 28 places for men and 21 for women, with each weight category having four places except for the 57kg women’s weight category, which has two positions, and the 60kg women’s weight category, which has three positions.
68 players from 19 African countries, including Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, DR Congo, Ghana, Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Guinea Bissau, Mauritius, Cape Verde, Togo, Lesotho, Seychelles, Namibia, Angola and Ethiopia, represent the African continent in the competition.
