The ESPN Africa Boxing series comes to a close for 2022 with the last event for the year scheduled to take place in Johannesburg on Friday 9 December. With an international title fight, a female bout, the return of Deejay Kriel and showcasing the popular Patrick Mukala and Darrin Rossouw, boxing fans across Africa are in for an action packed night. The live broadcast on ESPN Africa (DStv 218, Starsat 248) and SABC Sport starts at 19:00 (CAT).
The main fight of the evening will see India’s Shiva Thakran take on DRC’s Emmany Kalombo, who will be competing for the IBF International Junior Middleweight title at this momentous occasion, and both boxers are poised to fight for way more than the belt.
Thakran (25) and his manager, Brijesh Kumar Meena, told ESPN Africa that they view this fight as a chance to take the sport to new heights in India. A win for Thakran would place him as the first Indian boxer to boast a major international title in professional boxing from one of the four sanctioning bodies – the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC), International Boxing Federation (IBF), and World Boxing Organization (WBO).
On the other side of the ring, defending champion Kalombo’s (31) dream is to become “the face of boxing” worldwide, according to ESPN Africa. Hailing from Kinshasa, and initially playing football in his youth, he was bullied as a child. “I’ve been bullied – not even in school but in my area. People who were older than us used to take our money and take our stuff without even asking. [When] I [decided] I must do something, I chose to start fighting,” Kalombo told ESPN Africa.
Although Kalombo’s parents were initially hesitant, they soon got behind his dream. Now, no stranger to success, Kalombo, recently beat Rayton Okwiri in a TKO win at the ESPN Africa Boxing 18 event earlier this year, and is well on his way to making a name for himself across the continent.
In the co-main event, Deejay Kriel makes a return to the boxing scene after a two-year hiatus and will take on Thembelani Nxoshe as these homegrown boxers compete in an 8-round Catch-weight fight. Additionally, Malawi’s fan favourite Ellen Simwaka will face Asandiswa Nxokwana in a female Bantamweight match.
“ESPN Africa Boxing has delivered superb action from the ring this year and we are looking forward to ending 2022 on a high note,” said Kyle De Klerk, The Walt Disney Company Africa, Sports Director. “The fights that are lined up promise to deliver nail-biting action that is both highly competitive and thrilling to watch,” he concluded.
.
