No victory, but a statement: Mouafo impresses on the international stage

Christopher Mouafo shines on the international stage in Dushanbe. In the highly anticipated main event of the IBA Pro 8 show, 29-year-old Christophe Mouafo from Biel faced the Tajik hometown favorite Bakhodur Usmonov. After ten intense rounds, Mouafo lost by unanimous decision, but his performance sent a clear message: the Swiss boxer can compete at an international level.

Usmonov used his reach, high punch volume, and footwork effectively in the opening rounds, giving him the early advantage over the two-time Olympian. However, there were no significant fight-ending blows. Mouafo stayed focused, waited for his opportunities, and landed precise counters in the later stages of the fight. In rounds seven and eight, he delivered the cleanest shots of the evening — visibly impressing the home crowd of around 3,000 spectators at the Tennis Palace in Dushanbe. The favorite staggered briefly, and a knockdown was almost within reach.

In the end, the judges awarded the fight to Usmonov, with his slightly higher activity making the difference. Nevertheless, Mouafo left a lasting impression as a technically skilled, tactically mature boxer with strong international potential.

“Chris delivered a fantastic performance and promoted Swiss boxing exceptionally well,” said manager Leander Strupler. Swiss Pro Boxing congratulates Christopher Mouafo on his courageous and impressive showing in Central Asia and looks forward to his upcoming challenges with optimism.