Mtimaukanena downs Kenyan boxer
Renowned local female boxer Agnes Mtimaukanena-Mwando lived up to her word on Friday evening by defeating her Kenyan opponent Joyce Awino in a six-round non-title bout at Robin’s Park in Blantyre.
The former World Boxing Federation (WBF) light middleweight champion, who has won a second consecutive international fight since returning from a two year break in April, earned her glory through unanimous points’ decision after registering 60-54 on the scorecards of each three judges Lovemore Katanda, Desire Kambewa and Olusegun Kapanga.
With the win, Mtimaukanena-Mwando has improved her record to six victories, two losses and a draw.
The welterweight fight, organised by Alufandika Boxing Promotions, saw Mtimaukanena-Mwando keeping her opponent on the back foot throughout with a flurry of unchallenged punches.
However, although the 23-year-old appeared a better boxer than she was in her previous bout against Tanzanian Amina Mhumbira at the same venue three months ago, her punches remain weak and were not good enough to fit her status.
With Awino absorbing a lot of punches and failing to keep her guard, Mtimaukanena-Mwando had all the space to floor her opponent several times and probably replenish her record with at least a knock-out win, but her wobbly jabs could not easily tire Awino. At times, it seemed obvious that her punches could even hardly injure a fly.
Nevertheless, it was a deserved victory for the host boxer.
“I tried to be too hard on her but she also proved to be a good boxer. With a height almost the same as mine, it was not easy to outsmart her,” she said.
On her part, Awino said she realised that she was making a big mistake by letting her guard open and she will rectify the problem before coming back for a rematch.
“Yes, I have lost but I want a rematch. In spite of that, I had fun in the ring and I enjoyed the bout,” said Awino, whose record on boxstat.com was indicating three straight losses before she took on Mtimaukanena, although she claimed to have won three of her five fights.
In the six-round main supporting bout, Henry Muyaya beat Bright Mdoka on points. In other curtain raising fights, Brighton Mcheni, Lameck Sinchaya, Obet Makayika and Dalitso Seyani outclassed Wala Milanzi, Peter Weta, Blessings Petulo and Henry Masasa, respectively.
