BOXING – BAHRAIN’S Royal Guard boxing team put up a spirited fight against their counterparts from the British Army in an exciting third edition of International Boxing Night, held at the Infantry Training Centre (ITC) in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, England.
Six of the kingdom’s top Royal Guard boxers stepped into the ring in the event, which also featured fighters from the British Army’s development and modernisation efforts, the British Army’s Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment/ITC Catterick, and the British Army’s Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
The kingdom’s representatives won two of their hotly contested six bouts. Private Mohamed Mehdi Sahak and Private Israel Okafor were the Royal Guard boxers to triumph.
Also taking part on the night were Lance Corporal Prakash Limbu, women’s boxer Sergeant Maryam Khamis, Private Abdullah Alabdullah, and Private Isaac Augustine.
Bahrain’s delegation was led in the event by Royal Guard head of boxing Tony Davis and national team coach Fethi Missaoui.
Sahak opened the Royal Guard’s programme with a split points decision victory against British Army boxer Craftsman Kiminski in a 57kg bout. Okafor triumphed later on in the evening’s penultimate fight, beating Lance Corporal Lorja in a 92kg contest. Due to an accidental clash of heads, the bout was stopped and Okafor won by a split points decision.
Limbu took on Lance Corporal Moulds in a 63.5kg contest, where he lost by a unanimous points decision. Khamis lost by a split points decision to the British Army’s Corporal Johnstone in their women’s 55kg bout, while Alabdullah suffered the same outcome against Private Swales in a 67kg affair. Augustine took on Guardsman Young-Hastings in an over-92kg contest that wrapped up the night’s schedule. He lost by a unanimous points decision.
Following all the fights, a number of individual awards were handed out to the competitors. The Royal Guard’s Limbu was presented with a trophy for Most Gallant Boxer.
Davis was also given a token of appreciation for the Royal Guard’s participation in the event.
This year’s edition of International Boxing Night followed last year’s event when the Royal Guard won six of the eight bouts. In the inaugural fight night in 2023, the kingdom’s representatives won just two of eight fights.
International Boxing Night was held to help raise the excitement ahead of the highly anticipated Royal Rumble IV – the kingdom’s most popular charity boxing event which is set to take place on November 27 at Crowne Plaza Bahrain.
The black-tie affair will see Bahrain’s Royal Guard fighters lace up their gloves against boxers from the British Armed Forces.
Royal Rumble IV will be held under the patronage of Supreme Council for Youth and Sport first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority chairman, and Bahrain Olympic Committee president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and proceeds generated will be donated to the Royal Humanitarian Foundation.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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