Addis Ababa, April 1, 2024 9FBC) – Ethiopia hosted professional and semi-professional boxing competition in at the Adwa Victory Memorial Museum on Sunday, the Ministry of Culture and Sports confirmed.
Held for the first time in Ethiopia, the boxing event was organized by the Ethiopian Boxing Federation and SOLO International Sports PLC.
This competition is said to be part of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s call for members of second-generation Ethiopian Diaspora to come back to their origin country.
Minister of State for Sports Development at the Ministry of Culture and Sports, Mesfin Chernert, who attended the tournament, said: “Boxing is a sport that is popular and loved at the international level.”
He noted that such professional boxing competitions play an important role in developing and stimulating young boxers and it is necessary to open competitions.
In the first semi-professional 66kg men’s competition, Ethiopian Abraham Alem fought against his Kenyan counterpart, Meshech Wofla, where Abraham defeated Meshech in 28 seconds to win the belt.
In the second professional 66kg women’s competition, Evelyn Ekenye of Kenya faced Bethel Wolde of Ethiopia and in the 4th round, Bethel Wolde emerged victorious with an outstanding performance.
In the third heavyweight competition, the Ugandan Madelaine and the Tanzanian Lucky Herre fought and the Ugandan Madelaine won by a surprising difference in the third round.
The each of the winners of the competitions have landed 100 thousand Birr and the runner-ups pocketed 50 thousand Birr.
The event is also said to have helped create sports partnership and cultural exchange between the countries, produce junior and professional boxers, build the image of the country and to revive boxing sport in Ethiopia.