…defies early knock-out setback
Leemisa Thuseho
PROMISING Lesotho boxing star, Toka Litabe, is looking forward to building on the experience gained from the ongoing International Boxing Association (IBA) Men’s World Boxing Championships, despite suffering an early knockout.
The tournament, currently underway at Dubai’s Duty-Free Tennis Stadium, began on 3 December and will end on Saturday.
Litabe, Lesotho’s sole representative, failed to advance to the next round after being routed by Tajikistan’s Khusravkhon Rakhimov. Going into the fight, Rakhimov was already the favourite due to his world ranking and extensive international experience. He is currently ranked second globally in the 57kg category.
On the other hand, Litabe is yet to break into the global rankings, making his clash with the seasoned Rakhimov a Herculean task.
Litabe’s elimination followed a Referee Stops Contest (RSC) decision — a safety call made when a boxer is clearly outclassed by an opponent. This resulted in a technical knockout.
The World Championships marked Litabe’s debut on a global stage outside Africa.
Before his selection to represent Lesotho at this prestigious tournament, the 22-year-old made his regional debut at the 2021 AUSC Region 5 Games held in Lesotho, where he secured a silver medal. He also competed at the 2024 Mandela African Boxing Tournament in South Africa and won silver at the 2025 Zone 4 African Boxing Championships in Mozambique in March this year.
Despite the early exit, Litabe has remained in Dubai with his coach, Meshack ‘Switch’ Letsoepa. The pair is expected to use the remaining days for sparring sessions with boxers from other countries. They are scheduled to return home on Sunday.
Speaking to the Lesotho Times this week, Litabe described the World Championships as an invaluable learning curve.
“Despite the loss, I am still happy for myself with the exposure and experience I gathered,” Litabe said.
“I will bounce back strong, and I hope to build on that experience going forward.”
He said he is eyeing qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, as well as securing a spot in Lesotho’s team for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland next year.
“Olympic Games have been one of my biggest dreams, and I am looking forward to the next edition. There is also the Commonwealth Games next year.”
Ahead of the World Championships, Litabe said he had anticipated the high level of competition.
“The standard and competition here are very high, but that is what I expected because I follow international boxing a lot,” he said.
