| Bep van Klaveren report uit Zuid-Afrika |
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SA MACSTEEL MAESTROS INVITATION TEAM ROTTERDAM, NETHERLAND 2007 Introduction Assembly and Departure The team assembled on the 2nd of November 2007 at Coega Village Port Elizabeth to start the training camp. It was evident that the boxers did some preparation before assembling for the training camp because they were almost within their weight limits. Training took place for 4 days and emphasis was more on skills and technique. Training was done in the morning and evenings.
Accommodation and Meals. Training took place in this gym until the tournament. The facilities were superb and were accessible. We had our meals in the Military base and people were very friendly but warning us that we were in a Lion’s den when it comes to boxing. What impressed me was that the boxers were so determined to show case their abilities in the ring. The accommodation was fine and the boxers were comfortable. Rooms had heaters to save us from the cold weather Tournament The Bep van Klaveren Memorial is a huge event in Netherlands. Before the tournament, the boxers were sent to a press conference where they were introduced to the media. I shared with the rest of the media their boxing careers. Much as the focus was on the local stars, this was a good exposure to them. The tournament was held on Monday the 12th and the boxers were upbeat. The boxing venue was full to capacity with about 3500 people coming to watch the SA boxers up against the best local boxers. The boxers came into the ring singing Shosholoza and the crowd joined by clapping hands. The boxers exchanged gifts in the ring which to me was a symbol of what Olympic Style Boxing stands for, friendship and sportsmanship. The tournament started at about 20H20 featuring ladies bout as well. Below are photos taken during the action. This was the best bout of the tournament as Zolile was up against a Military World champion and a boxer that came back from the World Championships in Chicago. Zolile put up a very good performance. The following day, newspapers quoted the local hero saying that he had to use all his experience to survive the onslaught of Zolile. Khabelo’s opponent was too experienced for him without a doubt. What impressed me and the crowd was the courage and determination Khabelo showed through the bout.
Masana’s opponent was also from the military and was also very strong and experienced. Masana stood his ground and never gave up. In the third round, he exchanged blows to the amazement and appreciation of the crowd. He might have lost on points but on performance, he won. Unathi was up against a world military champion and this was not going to be easy. Both boxers are southpaws. Unathi dropped his opponent in the second round with a midsection punch. This got the local crowd worried as it seemed that the South African was getting strong. The third round began and in the middle of the round Unathi sustained an injury on his right hand. He was determined to finish the bout and his opponent never noticed that his hand was troubling him. He lost the bout on a 3-2 as the judges were using manual scoring. AJ fought against a very tall opponent. This was a story of David versus Goliath. This boxer is about 2,5m tall. The first round started and AJ was not moved by the height disadvantage. He was floored in the last minute of the first round and beat the count. He was again dropped in the second round and he again beat the count. The referee stopped the contest in the second round. One thing about this bout, AJ has a big heart and courage. Boxing Clinics Sight Seeing
1. Macsteel Maestros If it was not for your support and words of wisdom, this trip could not have been a memorable one. Thank you Andile Mofu |
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