Congolese boxing is in mourning. The only representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the running for the quarter-finals of the Middle Heavy category (-80kg) of the Boxing World Cup, Pita Kabeji, was beaten by Jordanian Lashaish Hussein in Tashkent, in Uzbekistan. Medal hopes are dashed for the DRC which won no title at the end of this competition.
The adventure of the Congolese team has been punctuated by ups and downs during this World Cup. Although they didn’t win any medals, the boxers gained experience and got closer to the world level. Fiston Mbaya Mulumba picked up two wins on points over Turkmenistan’s Imankuliyev and Bulgaria’s Dzhurov in the 32nd and 16th rounds respectively, while Pita Kabeji took victory over Trinidadian boxer Nickell Joseph in the 16th round. However, their energy and talent were not enough to allow them to win medals.
Congolese boxing is now counting on the African Boxing Championship which will take place in Yaoundé, Cameroon, at the end of June, to recover. FCB national technical director Toussaint Lofalanga expressed confidence in the chances of the Congolese team which should try to win some gold medals. Congolese athletes will prepare very seriously for this deadline.
In any case, this Boxing World Cup will remain an important stage in the history of Congolese boxing. Congolese boxers have proven that they are capable of competing with the best boxers in the world. They didn’t manage to win any medals this time around, but it’s that kind of experience that will allow them to progress and win in the future.