A fight Maitewa couldn’t win
MOLEPOLOLE: Last week, boxing was plunged into mourning when Tefo Kesotshepa Maitewa’s young promising career was cut short.
His is a story of endless life struggles, which culminated in a brave but losing fight. Maitewa had to adapt quickly to the challenges of life, as he had to double up as the man of the house at an early age. His mother was unemployed, and he had to fend for the family.
But today, the family has been left without a breadwinner, after Maitewa succumbed to brain tumour on Friday last week. He died at Scottish Livingstone hospital at the age of just 22.
In his life, Maitewa had to juggle duties and at times was forced to arrive late for national team training, as he had to look after his siblings. It effectively meant he spent most of the time, fighting on or off the ring. Mmegi Sport visited the Maitewa home where the young man’s boxing dreams began. Tefo’s aunt, Magdelene
Maitewa said the boxer was a well-mannered child.
“He started boxing at Moruakgomo Junior Secondary School. We kept encouraging him because he was doing well. He then proceeded to Kgari Sechele Senior Secondary School,” she said. Magdelene said during that period Maitewa took care of his mother and three siblings. She said Maitewa was fortunate that he was not prone to injuries.
“Things got bad in March this year when he started complaining about a headache. In some instances he would collapse. He was rushed to Gaborone Private Hospital where a scan was conducted on his head where a tumour was discovered,” Magdelene said.
The aunt said an operation was performed on his head, but it was later discovered that Maitewa had some excessive fluids in his lungs.
This devastated the family as it presented another fight for the young boxer. Maitewa was transferred to Princess Marina Referral Hospital.
“In early October, he was released from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and then transferred back to Scottish and doctors were in the process of releasing him home. We were shocked to learn that he had passed on,” she said, fighting back tears. Maitewa would be laid to rest in Molepolole on Sunday and the Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) is assisting with funeral arrangements.
Maitewa’s uncle, Thibelang Kerileng said they were excited about his talent, which put the family on the map. Maitewa was a member of the Molepolole Boxing Club. The club’s coach, Phetogo Othusitse said he met Maitewa in 2015 when he was a student at Kgari Sechele.
“I started training him for the BISA competitions the same year and he won a silver medal. After that I was selected as boxing coach for Kweneng Region for Botswana Games. Maitewa made the team and we travelled to Francistown. Unfortunately he did not win a medal,” Othusitse said.
However, Maitewa was selected into the BoBA development structure. Othusitse said they were happy about the way Maitewa was progressing as a boxer. He said the passing on of Maitewa has shattered them, as he was the backbone of the club. He added, young boxers looked up to him.
Former BoBA technical officer, Healer Modiradilo said he was impressed by Maitewa’s performance during the 2015 Botswana Games.
“He did not win a medal but you could see he had talent and determination. He was also a southpaw (left handed), which is rare amongst our boxers. All those characteristics convinced me to enrol him into the development team,” he said.
Modiradilo said they started preparing Maitewa for the 2016 Region 5 Games in Angola.
“In that team, he was the only one who had not won a medal at the Botswana Games and when we came back from Angola he was the only one who won a silver medal. I continued inviting Maitewa for school holiday training camps,” Modiradilo added.
He said the boxer continued working hard and in 2017 he was attached to the senior national team as Rajab Otukile Mohammed’s sparring partner. Mohammed was preparing for the World Championships. He said Maitewa improved a lot and at the end of the year he scooped a gold medal in the 52kg category (bantam weight) at 19 years.
“In 2018, Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) requested for young boxers to be included in the Commonwealth Games team. Maitewa was included and travelled with the team to Gold Coast as a sparring partner,” he said.
Maitewa had a below par performance at the 2018 BoBA national championships losing against George Molwantwa and was dropped from the national team.
“Maitewa liked boxing a lot and I advised him not to give up. The challenge was that he was training alone without a sparring partner. Fortunately, at the end of 2018, Molepolole club was formed. He continued competing in local championships and the only obstacle was Molwantwa,” he said. Modiradilo said technically Maitewa was better than Molwantwa, but he was let down by physical preparedness. Maitewa managed to finally beat Molwantwa in 2019.
“A week before that, I told the coaches that we should produce a national champion. Maitewa was in good shape, but Molwantwa was still going to be an obstacle. Our game plan worked and he outclassed his opponent,” Modiradilo said.
Maitewa went on to beat another experienced boxer, Treasure Moremi during the national championships final held in Molepolole.
Maitewa emerged a national champion and was recalled to the national team. He was part of the team involved in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games qualifiers.
Maitewa reached the quarterfinals at the Dakar Arena during the African Olympic boxing qualifiers, missing out on gaining a ticket to what would have been his inaugural Olympics.
Modiradilo said he was hopeful that Maitewa was going to qualify for the next Olympics.