Tanzanian boxer outclasses Venezuelan opponent

TANZANIA: TANZANIAN boxer, Yusuf Changalawe  revealed that the key to his victory over Venezuelan boxer Pereira Diego was not giving him any room for recovery after his opponent went down in the first minute.

In the first minute of the first round, Changalawe’s sharpness allowed him to knock out Diego. This victory has enabled Changalawe to advance to the round of 32 of the World Olympic Qualifiers in Busto Arsizio, Italy.

“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.

On Friday, he will be facing Norway’s Mindaugas Gedminas. Five African boxers won their fights in the round of 64 on the second day of the qualifiers. Among them, Changalawe was the most impressive winner.

He was in a ruthless mood, knocking down the Venezuelan twice in the first round. Referee Peter Olanda from Sweden waved it off in one minute 36 seconds of the first round.

After the referee lifted his hand to declare him the winner, emotional Changalawe knelt in prayer on the canvas thanking the Almighty for the victory. He is the country’s sole representative.

Apart from Changalawe, the other four African winners on Monday were Togo’s light-heavyweight Prewa Pawabadi, who beat Carlos Gongora of Ecuador 5-0, Namibia’s featherweight Tryagain Ndevelo, who won 5-0 against Turkey’s Batuhan Ciftci, Morocco’s Africa featherweight champion Soulaimane Samghouli, who won 5-0 against Britain’s Farid Walidazeh, and Tunisia’s Islem Ferchichi, who outpointed Finland’s Emma Jokiaho by a unanimous decision.