Bagwasi’s Crushing Defeat
Bagwasi’s shocking defeat came as a result of a shoulder injury that forced him to take two knee dives in the early rounds of the bout. The entire venue fell into a deafening silence as fans struggled to comprehend the gravity of what they had just witnessed. However, amidst the aftermath, Setimela displayed a remarkable act of sportsmanship by expressing his willingness to grant Bagwasi a title shot in a rematch, once the latter has fully recovered.
Lunga Setimela, now the proud holder of both the African Boxing Union (ABU) championship and the World Boxing Federation (WBF) Super Featherweight title, voiced his discontentment over the manner in which he claimed his first world boxing crown.
The thrilling encounter, eagerly anticipated by fans and organized by Scud Missile Promotions, was meant to serve as Bagwasi’s inaugural title defense since his triumph the previous year. Tragically, Bagwasi’s reign came to an abrupt end in the second round due to the shock shoulder injury. With this resounding victory, Setimela fortifies his impressive record, which now stands at 16 wins, 1 loss, and 0 draws (16-1-0). Meanwhile, Bagwasi’s defeat tarnishes his previously sterling record, now boasting 10 fights, 8 victories, and 2 losses (8-2-0).
Despite walking away with the coveted belt and a well-deserved prize of P150,000, Setimela conveyed his sympathy for Bagwasi, recognizing him as one of the most formidable adversaries he has ever encounpterorpeedrtyinoftthe squared circle. “This is my first world title, I cPaLnAsCaEyOthFaSt I’m happy because I got the title but on the oTEthReMr
I’m not happy because my opponent is injuredPaLRnAOdCPEhEoORwTFYhSeATOLEB: is hurt that is not the way I normally want toTuIwnMdienEr
I want to win a square fight, split decision or
Setimela said even though he is all aware thPaoRtfOi4nPBbEeRodxrToiYonmgTOed anything can happen, he was expecting to the 6th round because he knows Bagwasi hasdgoaoffitetcdeststahomef 9tihntehaDd, saying that he didn’t get the competition that for. He said that before the shoulder their encounter, they challenged each round. “In the first round, we were learning round two I saw that he was starting to lose but I didn’t notice that he sustained an when I saw him kneeling down for the when I realised something was going on,”
Bagwasi’s injury left many spectators sadness. The WBF president in Africa, announced that Bagwasi can challenge the he feels like challenging for it.
In an interview this week, Bagwasi said he was in good shape prior to the action and during warm up, but he experienced an abnormal pain on his shoulder during the fight and realised that he couldn’t continue with the match. “I feel much better now as compared to Friday after the fight. I’m scheduled to go for a scan this week; that will determine whether I need a surgery or not,” he said.