Malawi’s Agnes Mtimaukanena defends WBF Africa belt
Malawi’s top female boxer Agnes Mtimaukanena has successfully defended her World Boxing Forum (WBF) African belt after beating Hapiness Nkhoma in an exciting fight at Nankhaka stadium in Lilongwe on Saturday.
Nkhoma made her way into the ring with Zahara’s song Loliwe blazing through the speakers cheered on by the crowd. Then Mtimaukanena emerged with her coach hoisting her belt high to the sound of Rich Mullins’s Awesome God.
The challenger, Nkhoma started the 10 round title fight with a bang dominating Mtimaukanena in the first round with a carefully thrown jabs leaving the belt holder with a swollen face but Mtimaukanena used her experience to perfection and managed to stay up.
Nkhoma seemed to have used up much of her energy in the first round and the champion hit back from round two as Nkhoma resorted to holding her opponent to get some rest and kill time and had to be warned by referee Jerome Waluza.
The later rounds were affected by showers but even with a slightly wet surface, none of the boxer seemed to be willing to take advantage and go for the Technical Knock Out.
In the end, Mtimaukanena, Malawi’s first female professional boxer ,won the fight on points. First judge, William Sekeleti called it 99-98 in Nkhoma’s favour, second judge Getrude Sande and third judge Andy Muyaya called the fight in Mtimaukanena’s favour with scores of 100-95 and 100-93 respectively.
Mtimaukanena said, “In boxing you just don’t talk, you fight in the ring. I took time to observe her, she came with the intention of knocking me out in the early rounds, but with the way I prepared for this fight it was not going to happen.”
Nkhoma accepted defeat and acknowledged that Mtimaukanena is the better boxer.
She said, “I have lost to a better boxer, she has lots of experience which she used to her advantage today. For now, I’ll have to continue my training and look for a re-match.”
In warm up fights, Bright Mdoka beat veteran Perpetual Mkandawire in a technical knockout in the first round while the fight between Osgood Kayuni and Tanzanian Sadik Mumba did not take place.
