▪️Mind games, hidden strategies and blood feuds take center stage at the Stade des Martyrs

October 24, 2026

The canvas is smoking in Kinshasa. Day two of the African Elite Boxing Championships has brewed a cocktail of potentially explosive quarterfinal matchups, turning the lightweight division into an absolute cracker.

THE LIGHTWEIGHT POWDER KEG: TRYAGAIN NDEVELO VS. ANKRAH EBENEZER

The marquee matchup on Monday features Namibia’s Commonwealth Games silver medalist Tryagain Ndevelo stepping into the ring for the fight of his life against Ghana’s sensational prodigy, Ankrah Ebenezer.

Ndevelo punched his ticket to the quarterfinals by outsmarting DR Congo’s home slugger, Badibanga Bamanyama, in his usual tactical approach.

While his corner screamed for him to go flat out and trade leather, the 2024 African featherweight king chose a surgical approach.

“I decided to box him using my jab followed by snapping combinations, keeping my distance,” Ndevelo revealed. The blueprint worked flawlessly, forcing two standing counts.

“I tried very hard to get that third count because it would have forced a stoppage, but I’ll take the win.”

With thunderous cheers of dancing DR Congo fans, Badibanga staged a late rally in the third round staggering Ndevelo for an eight count but it was too late. Ndevelo had done the spadework in the first and second rounds.

“He caught me against the ropes, he’s strong but I knew the fight was mine, I always do my maths in the ring,” Ndevelo told me, adding: “You don’t just throw punches in the ring. Every punch has to be calculated.”

Now, the mental warfare has begun. Ndevelo is keeping his cards close to his chest for Monday’s blockbuster.

“Against the Ghanaian, I’ll adopt another strategy. I can’t reveal it now because these boxers read your articles religiously—he’ll know exactly what I’m planning!”

Ebenezer, who outpointed Eswatini’s Gamedze Chawe using a relentless, one-handed assault after injuring his right fist, fired back a chilling warning:

“Ndevelo should prepare for the most difficult fight of his career.” Ebenezer is racing against the clock to heal his right hand before Monday’s opening bell.

THE LANDMINES AND THE CONTENDERS

Ring analysts pick Tryagain Ndevelo, Ankrah Ebenezer, Botswana’s Treasure Moremi, and Zambia’s Albert Ngulube as the frontrunners for the coveted gold medal. But the path to glory is littered with landmines: Each boxer has to tread carefully.

• The Twin Threat: Botswana’s Commonwealth Games quarterfinalist, Treasure Ndevelo—cruising in fresh off a bye—is set to collide with Mali’s stubborn, iron-willed Bathily Abdoul Karim.

• The Walkover Winner:Zambia’s African Games bronze medalist, Albert Ngulube, advanced on a round-of-16 walkover and now meets the dangerous Ugandan Byansi Hassan.

• The Dark Horse: Senegal’s Balde Oumar is hunting for a massive upset. After a scintillating, highlight-reel performance against Congo Brazzaville’s Ngollo Ngassay, Oumar takes on Angola’s rested Matomona Jonilsory, who advanced via a walkover.

*Ngulube spoiling for fight:* Irked by Emmanuel Katema’s controversial doctor stoppage defeat, Ngulube will charge at Uganda’s Byansi Hassan like a wounded buffalo. The Ugandan boxer will do a lot of dancing in the ring.

GLASGOW REMATCH LOOMING IN THE WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION

Amidst the whirlwind action at the Stade des Martyrs, the tournament is buzzing with the arrival of heavy-hitting international flavor.

Ireland-based fan favorite Chloe Gabriel of Mauritius is on a direct collision course for a rematch against Zambia’s first ever female boxer to win a medal in the Commonwealth Games Catherine Mwape.

Chloe squares off against Burundi’s Lilliane Nshimirimana in a crucial quarterfinal clash on Sunday, October 25. If she takes care of business, she punches her ticket to an October 28 semifinal showdown against Mwape, who received a golden ticket bye straight to the semis.

The two last crossed swords in a grueling war at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, where Mwape narrowly edged Chloe on points. The Mauritian is hungry to avenge that heartbreak.

MAURITIAN MAGIC AND MANDELA CUP CHAMPIONS

The Mauritian contingent is oozing confidence:

• *Valerie Fabrice:* The reigning Mandela Cup champion and African silver medalist faces a brutal Monday test against Mozambique’s relentless Manuel Banguine.

• *Merven Clair:* The Commonwealth Games bronze medalist coasted through with a bye and calmly awaits the winner of today’s fierce round-of-16 clash between Niger’s Yacoubalawali Mohamed and Cameroon’s powerhouse Yantou Koloko.

Meanwhile, Namibia’s team was today morning treated to a full course breakfast by their ambassador in Kinshasa. The wide smiles told it all when I bumped into Ndevelo & Co at the affluent Protea Hotel. Boxers have been complaining of inadequate meals at the Golden Tulip Hotel.

▪️Libya Boxing Federation President Abdulkarim Manit recalls his fight with Kenya’s Abdulrahman Athuman aka Assu

October 24, 2026

KINSHASA, DR Congo – As the action heats up on Day Three of the 22nd edition of the Africa Elite Boxing Championships here in Kinshasa, memories of Kenya’s Golden Era of boxing dominance continue to take center stage.

Forty-seven years ago, Libya’s current boxing federation president, Abdulkarim Manit (pictured), went toe-to-toe with Kenya’s Abdulrahman Athman, popularly known as “Assu,” in the finals of the 1979 Africa Elite Boxing Championships in Benghazi.

It was a tournament where Kenya asserted its continental supremacy, capturing the overall title while Libya finished as runners-up.

Meeting Manit in Kinshasa today, the Libyan boxing boss vividly recalls how the tactical Kenyan boxer outwitted him en route to a unanimous points victory.

“I had never met such a clever boxer,” Manit told boxersworld.co.ke. “I was shorter than him, so he took advantage of his height to keep me at a distance. I was frustrated because I couldn’t get closer to him.”

Manit’s journey from that ring to his current leadership role reflects the turbulent history of the sport in his home country. He recalled how the late Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi slapped a 38-year ban on international boxing from 1980 to 2018.

“He didn’t like boxing; he said it was a brutal sport,” Manit explained.

Today, October 24, 2026, the focus shifts firmly back to the canvas as Manit looks to guide a new generation of Libyan fighters on Day Three of the ongoing African Championships. Starting at 3:00 PM local time (5:00 PM East African Time), two of Libya’s finest are scheduled for crucial bouts.

In the welterweight division, Tariq Ahmed Alalawi will battle Mali’s Fousseni Traore while light-middleweight Mohammed Saeid Othman faces a daunting test against Burundi’s Nestor Nduwarugira, the 2024 Africa Championships silver medalist.

While Libya fights to rebuild its continental footprint after decades in the dark, the ghost of Kenya’s clever ring mastery from the 1960s to early 1990s remains a gold standard here in Kinshasa.

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▪️Zambia’s hard nut Mwengo Mwale takes on Malawian neighbour Ledson in quarters

▪️Cross river battle between DRC’s Mbonza and Congo’s Mbela Lech promises fireworks

▪️Double delight for coach Sinoia as two Mozambican warriors storm the quarters

October 23, 2026

The opening bell has sounded at the 2026 African Elite Boxing Championships in Kinshasa, igniting a flurry of exciting matchups at the Stade des Martyrs.

Mozambican featherweight star Armando Sigauque booked his quarterfinal spot on Thursday, October 22, with a commanding unanimous points victory over South Africa’s Sigwele Masibulele in the round of 16.

The African Games silver medalist now advances to a bruising showdown on October 26 against Ghana’s African Games champion, Amadu Mohammed. With Mohammed moving up from bantamweight for this tournament, their upcoming clash has all the makings of a final within a final.

The featherweight division is packed with tension. Zambia’s Mwengo Mwale, a World Championships quarterfinalist who fell to Mohammed in the 2024 African Games bantamweight final, has also stepped up in weight. After outpointing Senegal’s Omar Gueye, Mwale is set for a regional quarterfinal battle against Malawi’s Patson Ledson.

Meanwhile, a potential semifinal blockbuster looms between Olympic bronze medalist David Pina of Cape Verde and Namibia’s Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Philip Haoseb who defeated Botswana’s Katlego Keorapetse with Botswana’s coach Choga Ntoti seemingly unhappy with the decision.

The bout was stopped in the third round following a deep gash above Haoseb’s right eye but he carried the day because he was leading on points.

“The cut is under the right eyebrow but I’m luck my fight is next Monday it’ll be okay,” said Haoseb.

Haoseb went on: “He hit me severally with his head but I think it was not intentional, I noticed after throwing one-two’s he always came rushing with his head, the mistake is mine, I didn’t box well but generally it was not a tough fight.”

Haoseb will take on Angola’s Alberto Ribeiro in the quarters. Victory will see him tackle David Pina in the semis assuming that Pina, who got a bye to the quarter-finals, wins his bout against Valery Yohot of Cameroon.

It was a stellar tournament opening for Mozambican coach Lucas Sinoia, who celebrated two fighters advancing to the last eight. Alongside Sigauque, bantamweight Manuel Banguine eliminated Madzou Boumba of Congo Brazzaville to set up a quarterfinal bout against Mauritius’s Valerie Fabrice, the 2024 African Championships silver medalist.

Local fans also had plenty to cheer for as DR Congo’s own featherweight, Modi Mbonza, cruised past Frontin Giovanni of Mauritius on points. Mbonza is now scheduled for a cross-river derby on Sunday against neighbor Mbela Lech of Congo.

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▪️28 Nations march into a rhumba-fueled boxing bonanza in Kinshasa!

▪️General Luyoyo delivers a spectacular cultural knockout in DRC

▪️Cameroon’s 2023 female flyweight champ Loura Ngoune and DRC’s Gisele Nyembo vow ring warfare in final showdown!

▪️Minister Didier Budimbu declares 22nd African Boxing Championships open as stars fight for glory and IBA prize money!

▪️Boxers want more food and variety at Golden Tulip Hotel

October 23, 2026

The night air at the iconic Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa crackled with pure energy as the 22nd edition of the Africa Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships burst into life on Thursday.

Under the flashing arena lights, enthusiastic crowds of DRC boxing fans transformed the stadium into a massive, pulsating festival of rhythm, color, and athletic pride.

IBA Africa President General Ilunga Luyoyo lived up to his grand promise, seamlessly blending sports with local heritage. Infectious Congolese rumba music belted from the DJ’s speakers, sending waves of dance and synchronous clapping through the stands. The cultural spectacular reached a jaw-dropping peak when fire-eaters took center stage, leaving the thousands in attendance utterly dumbfounded as balls of flame illuminated the Kinshasa night.

The crowd erupted in cheers as the colorful parade of nations began. Boxers from 28 participating countries marched proudly past the gymnasium, a vibrant mosaic of national colors and billowing flags.

Leading the spectacular march-past were the boxers from Cameroon, who set a jubilant tone for the rest of the continental delegates.

Amidst the celebratory atmosphere, the simmering athletic rivalries were already boiling over—most notably in the women’s flyweight division. Because they are the only two competitors in their weight class, Cameroon’s 2023 African champion Loura Ngoune Reine and the DRC’s own hometown hero, defending champion Nyembo Gisele found themselves fast-tracked directly into an eagerly awaited final showdown.

The war of words has already begun. Reine confidently promised a fierce, unforgiving fight to regain her crown. Gisele, backed by the roaring home crowd, vowed to avenge her previous defeat. She claimed with burning intensity that Reine was heavily favored in their 2023 pitched battle and promised that their upcoming final would be absolute “fire.”

DRC’s Minister for Sport and Leisure, Didier Budimbu Ntubuanga, took to the podium to officially declare the one-week boxing extravaganza open. He emphasized that Africa’s elite pugilists would not just be fighting for continental glory and gold medals, but also for life-changing IBA prize money.

However, the tournament is not completely without early friction. Behind the scenes, several international boxers staying at the Golden Tulip Hotel voiced complaints regarding inadequate food portions, expressing hope that organizers would quickly rectify the hospitality issues so they could focus entirely on the ring.

With rhumba still echoing through the rafters and fierce sporting drama already locked in, the stage is officially set for a spectacular week of elite African boxing.

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▪️L’arrêt prématuré a depuis déclenché une vive indignation parmi les officiels et les amateurs de boxe à Kinshasa, soulevant des questions cruciales sur la compétence et la responsabilité du personnel médical déployé lors des grands tournois.

24 octobre 2026

Le devoir premier d’un médecin de ring est de protéger l’athlète, mais une ligne mince sépare la prudence médicale légitime d’un arbitrage téméraire qui mine le sport lui-même. Aux Championnats d’Afrique de boxe élite à Kinshasa, cette ligne a été complètement effacée lors du premier round du combat des super-légers entre le Zambien Emmanuel Katema et le Congolais (RDC) Njibu Njibu Beni.

Alors que le combat venait à peine de commencer, Katema a subi une légère coupure au-dessus de l’œil droit. Dans ce qui aurait dû être un protocole standard — une évaluation rapide suivie d’une invitation à poursuivre l’action —, le médecin de ring a brusquement arrêté le combat dès sa toute première inspection.

La coupure était manifestement superficielle, et pourtant la campagne continentale de Katema a été anéantie en quelques secondes.

L’arrêt prématuré a depuis déclenché une vive indignation parmi les officiels et les amateurs de boxe à Kinshasa, soulevant des questions cruciales sur la compétence et la responsabilité du personnel médical déployé lors des grands tournois.

« Je n’ai pas de mots, c’est tellement décourageant quand un médecin arrête un combat sans tenir compte des nombreuses heures que j’ai sacrifiées pour me préparer pour Kinshasa », a déclaré Katema à boxersworld.co.ke.

Tout aussi outrés étaient les coéquipiers de Katema, les supporters, les hauts responsables de la boxe présents et l’imposant président de la Fédération zambienne de boxe, Boniface Sokoni, la personne la plus grande de ces championnats.

« J’ai envie de le dévorer tout vivant », a rugi un Sokoni visiblement furieux.

Pendant que Sokoni examinait la coupure, le médecin fautif aurait tenté de justifier son arrêt auprès du président zambien, qui l’a ignoré de peur qu’un coup de poing foudroyant ne parte sous le coup de l’émotion.

Les médecins de ring n’opèrent pas dans un vase clos. Les analystes se demandent aujourd’hui ouvertement si le personnel médical prend seulement la peine d’étudier le tableau du tournoi ou de comprendre le calibre des boxeurs impliqués.

Katema n’est pas un novice ; il est médaillé de bronze aux championnats du monde et aux Jeux du Commonwealth, et sa présence rehausse l’image de l’ensemble du tournoi, sans parler de la finale tant attendue face au Ghanéen Joseph Commey.

Mettre fin à un combat de cette envergure sans une urgence médicale incontestable, privant ainsi le tournoi de son prestige, trahit un manque total de contexte. Cela montre que le médecin officiel n’a pas su apprécier la gravité du match, n’ayant aucun égard pour les milliers d’heures d’entraînement exténuant qu’un boxeur endure juste pour monter sur le ring.

Au-delà de l’impact physique, cette décision méprise complètement les montagnes administratives et financières que l’équipe zambienne a dû gravir pour simplement arriver en RD Congo.

Dans une démonstration flagrante de négligence institutionnelle, le gouvernement zambien n’a fourni aucun financement pour le voyage de l’équipe nationale de boxe à Kinshasa.

La présence de l’équipe au Stade des Martyrs relevait du petit miracle, rendu possible uniquement grâce à l’intervention du président de l’IBA Afrique, Ferdinand Ilunga Luyoyo, qui a financé la logistique essentielle du voyage, tandis que la Fédération zambienne de boxe a puisé dans ses maigres ressources pour autofinancer un boxeur supplémentaire afin d’atteindre un total de cinq athlètes.

Chaque membre de la délégation zambienne représente une histoire extraordinaire de sacrifice. Lorsqu’une fédération se démène dans des sables mouvants financiers pour honorer un tournoi continental, ses boxeurs méritent que leur sort soit scellé par une compétition équitable, et non par le geste précipité de la main d’un médecin.

Pour être absolument clair, la sécurité physique d’un boxeur est sacrosainte.

En aucun cas les difficultés financières ou l’investissement émotionnel d’une équipe ne doivent l’emporter sur la nécessité médicale d’arrêter un combat si un athlète court le risque d’une blessure grave. Le veto médical doit demeurer un garde-fou vital.

Cependant, la colère entourant l’arrêt du combat de Katema ne découle pas d’un désir de compromettre la sécurité, mais plutôt de la négligence pure d’une évaluation prématurée.

Cet incident doit servir de signal d’alarme urgent pour l’IBA Afrique, qui doit mettre en place un contrôle plus strict de son personnel médical de ring.

Les médecins qui manquent de la nuance technique nécessaire pour distinguer une égratignure mineure d’une entaille dangereuse — ou qui ne mesurent pas l’importance des enjeux — n’ont pas leur place au bord du ring. L’IBA Afrique doit écarter ces officiels, afin de garantir que les prochains combats soient encadrés par une expertise médicale d’élite, à la hauteur du sacrifice d’élite des boxeurs eux-mêmes.

▪️The premature stoppage has since ignited fierce outrage among officials and boxing enthusiasts in Kinshasa, raising sharp questions about the competence and accountability of medical personnel deployed at major tournaments

October 24, 2026

The primary duty of a ringside physician is to protect the athlete, but a fine line separates prudent medical caution from reckless officiating that undermines the sport itself. At the Africa Elite Boxing Championships in Kinshasa, that line was completely erased during the opening round of Zambia’s Emmanuel Katema’s light-welterweight bout against a DR Congo’s Njibu Njibu Beni

With the fight barely underway, Katema sustained a minor cut above his right eye. In what should have been a standard protocol—a quick assessment followed by a prompt to let the action continue—the ringside doctor abruptly waved off the contest on his very first inspection. The cut was demonstrably superficial, yet Katema’s continental campaign was killed in seconds.

The premature stoppage has since ignited fierce outrage among officials and boxing enthusiasts in Kinshasa, raising sharp questions about the competence and accountability of medical personnel deployed at major tournaments.

“I’ve no words, it’s so disheartening when a doctor stops a fight without considering the many hours I sacrificed to prepare for Kinshasa,” Katema told boxersworld.co.ke.

Equally outraged were Katema’s teammates, fans, top boxing officials here and towering Zambia Boxing Federation President Boniface Sokoni, the tallest person in the championships.

“I feel like chewing him alive,” roared a visibly annoyed Sokoni.

As Sokoni examined the cut, the guilty doctor reportedly tried to justify his stoppage to the Zambian president who ignored him lest a stinging punch flies on the spur of the moment.

Ringside doctors do not operate in a vacuum. Analysts are now openly questioning whether the medical staff even bother to study the tournament draw or understand the caliber of the fighters involved.

Katema is not a novice; he’s a world championships and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist whose presence elevates the entire tournament’s image not to mention the much talked-about final with Ghana’s Joseph Commey.

To wave off a bout of this magnitude without an undeniable medical emergency and taking away the tournament’s glamour betrays a complete lack of context. It signals that the officiating doctor failed to appreciate the gravity of the match, showing zero regard for the thousands of hours of grueling training a boxer endures just to step into the ring.

Beyond the physical toll, the decision completely disregards the administrative and financial mountains the Zambian team climbed just to arrive in the DR Congo. In a staggering display of institutional neglect, the Zambian government provided zero funding for the national boxing team’s trip to Kinshasa.

The squad’s presence at the Stade des Martyrs was a minor miracle, made possible solely because IBA Africa’s President Ferdinand Ilunga Luyoyo stepped in to fund core travel logistics, while the Zambian Boxing Federation stretched its meager resources to self-fund an additional boxer to make it five in all.

Every single member of the Zambian delegation represents an extraordinary story of sacrifice. When a federation crawls through financial quicksand to honor a continental tournament, their boxers deserve to have their fates decided by fair competition, not by the hasty wave of a doctor’s hand.

To be absolutely clear, the physical safety of a boxer is sacrosanct. Under no circumstances should a team’s financial hardships or emotional investment override the medical necessity of stopping a fight if an athlete faces severe injury. The medical veto must remain a vital safeguard.

However, the anger surrounding Katema’s stoppage does not stem from a desire to compromise safety; it stems from the sheer carelessness of a premature evaluation.

This incident must serve as an urgent wake-up call for IBA Africa which must implement stricter auditing of its ringside medical personnel.

Doctors who lack the technical nuance to distinguish a minor nick from a dangerous gash—or who fail to appreciate the importance involved—have no place at ringside. IBA Africa must phase out such officials, ensuring that future bouts are guided by elite medical expertise that matches the elite sacrifice of the boxers themselves.

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▪️National team head coach Musa Benjamin includes 19 ambitious debutants among them sensational brothers Ben and Chris Juma, Dennis Muthama, promising southpaw Grace Atieno and former street girl Damacline Boyani
▪️ Boxing Federation of Kenya makes history hosting the inaugural WB African Championships fully funded by the govenment.

September 24, 2026

A powerful squad of 39 highly motivated Kenyan boxers—28 men and 11 women—is set to storm the ring at the inaugural WB African Boxing Championships from October 12–22, 2026, at the Kasarani Indoor Arena, Nairobi.

National team head coach Musa Benjamin unveiled the formidable roster today, highlighting a massive youth surge with 19 fierce debutants eager to make their mark on the international stage. This historic Nairobi tournament operates under the banner of African Boxing, an affiliate of World Boxing, formed chiefly as a vehicle to carry boxers safely to the Olympic Games.

The rookie contingent features some of the country’s most explosive rising talent. Among those earning their maiden national vests are sensational Kasarani Youth lightweight Ben Juma, his promising young brother Chris Juma, and KDF’s reigning Africa Military Games bantamweight champion Dennis Muthama.

The men’s debutant lineup brings serious firepower:

Morris Kimani: A slick, elusive flyweight southpaw out of Kasarani Youth.

Morris Odhiambo: The stubborn G44 bantamweight who sent shockwaves through the league after rocking the formidable Muthama in Mombasa.

Emmanuel Omollo: The relentless southpaw, reigning national lightweight champion from Police who has moved up to welterweight.

George Ayacko: KDF’s super-heavyweight, fresh off a stunning upset victory over African silver medalist Clinton Macharia.

Rounding out the rookies: Samuel Ndiema, Police middleweight Steve Onyango, former Kajiado standout Lawrence Ombwochi now at KDF, Ruaraka’s sharp-shooting Francis Lennox, flyweight Abdallah Juma, Prisons gritty southpaw Chris Musyoki and cruiserweight enforcer Victor Okeke.

The women’s newcomer list boasts inspiring stories and lethal skill:

Grace Atieno: The gritty light-flyweight southpaw representing Githurai Thailand showed her mettle in the Robert Wangila Memorial Cup finals outclassing Damacline Boyani

Damacline Boyani: A resilient former street girl turned Kasarani Youth boxing prodigy boasting two wins over Prisons international Jane Wangare.

Juliet Akinyi: The giant-killer from Kisumu who shocked Kenya’s boxing fraternity by conquering experienced international Elizabeth Akinyi during a fiery league clash in Vihiga.

Both Akinyis are locked into a stacked middleweight division and will face the might of the Nigerians.

Elizabeth Akinyi returns to the national fold for the first time since the 2023 Women’s World Championships in India, setting up a blockbuster, rematch in Kisumu this November against her namesake Juliet.

Anchoring this hungry young squad is a battle-tested core of decorated elite campaigners, including:

Veronica “Pioneer” Mbithe & Lencer Akinyi: The commanding flyweight anchors with Mbithe holding the 2025 Africa Zone 3 title and Africa Military Games silver medal.

Amina Martha: The African Games bantamweight bronze medalist unbeaten locally since 2019.

Boniface “The Hammer” Mogunde: The devastating, reigning African Champion unbeaten locally for eight years and is the captain of the team.

Edwin Okong’o: The explosive African Games middleweight champion. He’s a former basketballer.

Shaffi Bakari: The longest-serving international with silver at the 2019 Africa Games and multiples medals including gold in Zone 3 Championships. He started representing the senior team in 2017.

Robert “Man Ngori” Okaka: The twice African bronze medallist is the first Kenyan boxer in 43 years to make it to the quarter-finals of the IBA Men’s World Championships.

Other regular internationals are omena boy Alvin “Liwaloliwe” Oduor, Mwinyi Kombo, Aloys Vincent, Chris Ochanda, Peter “The Beast” Abuti, and the dangerous Clinton Macharia.

The WB 10 weight categories to be competed for men are: 50kg flyweight, 55kg bantamweight, 60kg lightweight, 65kg welterweight, 70 kg light-middleweight, 75kg middleweight, 80kg light-heavyweight, 85kg cruiserweight, 90kg heavyweight and 90+kg super-heavyweight.

Women’s 10 weights are: 48kg light-flyweight, 51kg flyweight, 54kg bantamweight, 57kg featherweight, 60kg lightweight, 65kg welterweight, 70kg light-middleweight, 75kg middleweight, 80kg light-heavyweight and 80+kg heavyweight

Here’s the full Kenya team:

Women

1.Jane Wangare –48-L/fly
2.Grace Atieno –48
3.Damacline Boyani–51-fly
4.Lencer Akinyi–51
5.Veronicah Mbithe–51
6.Amina Martha –54kg
7.Rahab Mumbi –54
8.Silvia Obwamu–65
9.Clare Okwaluma –70
10.Elizabeth Akinyi–80kg
11) Juliet Akinyi–80kg

Men

1.Morris Kimani –50kg(fly)
2.Kelvin Maina –50kg
3.Emmanuel Chondo–50kg
4. Abdallah Juma–50
5.Dennis Muthama-55kg
6.Emmanuel Odhiambo–55kg
7.Moses Kilavuka –50
8.Chris Musyoki–55
9.Shaffi Bakari–55
10.Benedict Juma–60kg(l/weight)
11.Mwinyi Kombo–60
12. Chris Juma –60
13.Aloice Vincent–65kg(L/welter)
14.Emmanuel Omollo–65
15.Samuel Ndiema–65
16.Bonface Mugunde –70kg(L/middle)
17.Alvin Oduor–70
18.Steven Onyango 75kg (middle)
19.Lawrence Ombwochi–75
20.Edwin Okong’o –75
21.Francis Lennox–75
22.Robert Okaka-80kg(L/heavy)
23.George Cosby–80kg
24.Chrispine Ochanda–86kg(cruiser)
25. Victor Okeke–86
26.Peter Abuti–90(Heavy weight)
27.Geofrey Ayacko–90+(super)
28.Clinton Macharia–90+

boxersworld.co.ke

▪️Mali’s federation boss Mahamadou Draba confident of a better harvest in Kinshasa

September 23, 2026

World Championships bronze medalist Djibril Traore and Olympian Marine Fatoumata Camara headline Mali’s eight-boxer squad for the upcoming African Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships in Kinshasa, DR Congo.

The West African nation enters the tournament, running from October 18-31, hungry to improve on its 15th-place finish at the 2024 edition.

Mali Boxing Federation President Mahamadou Draba expressed absolute confidence in the selected team.

“Our world bronze medalist Djibril Traoré is more than determined to meet all challenges alongside his teammates,” Draba told boxersworld.co.ke.

“Mali has hidden talents that will pleasantly surprise the Kinshasa public.”

Traore carries significant momentum into the tournament. He made history as Mali’s first-ever World Championships medalist in Dubai 2025, securing a bronze medal after a dominant 5-0 quarter-final victory over Spain’s Sergio Martinez. Traore also claimed Mali’s lone bronze medal at the 2024 African Championships. He is joined in the squad by his namesake, Fousseyni Traore who lost to Iran’s Moslem Maghsoudi in the round of 32 at the Dubai World Championships.

Leading the women’s charge is Marine Fatoumata Camara, a pioneer for Malian boxing. Camara became the country’s first female African Games medalist with a featherweight silver in Rabat 2019. Since then, the southpaw has competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics and won gold at the 2022 Eindhoven Box Cup, where she avenged a previous World Championship loss by defeating Italy’s Jessica Bellusci.

“What made me even happier was beating Bellusci in my first fight to avenge my defeat against her compatriot Irma Testa,” Camara said recalling her defeat to Testa in the 2022 Women’s World Championships in Istanbul.

Mali’s full eight-fighter roster for Kinshasa:

1) Fatoumata Marine Colette Camara

2) Djibril Traoré

3) Fousseyni Traoré

4) Alou Sacko

5) Abdoul Karim Bathily

6) Youssouf Dabo

7) Bakari Diallo

8) Mamadou Keïta

▪️Even without their sniper Patrick Chinyemba, this roster packs terrifying military precision

September 20, 2026

Zambia is sending an army to Kinshasa, and they are bringing heavy artillery.

Nine men. Seven women. All of them soldiers. A 16-strong squad locked, loaded, and ready to invade the DR Congo capital. Their sole mission? To flatten the hosts of the 2026 Africa Boxing Championships from October 18–31 and plunder the overall crown.

The Africa Elite Championships is the most prestigious and the flagship boxing event in the continent, attracting all the top boxers. Since 2022, boxers have been earning prize money courtesy of the IBA.

That’s why Zambia, one of Africa’s boxing powerhouses are heading to Kinshasa.

The Zambians may be without their sniper Patrick Chinyemba, but this roster packs terrifying military precision. Fuelled by their historic dominance at the 2025 IBA Men’s World Championships in Dubai—where Zambia finished as the top-placed African nation—and inspired by recent triumphs in Chati, Russia, this resurgent squad has bad intentions in Kinshasa.

Commander Emmanuel Katema spearheads the front line. The IBA World Championship and Commonwealth Games bronze medalist is flying high and ready for war.

Joining him in the trenches is Gerald Kabinda, the lethal African Games welterweight gold medalist, alongside Andrew Chilata and Felistus Nkandu, the ferocious 2022 African champions.

Nkandu, the deadly female sharpshooter, is fresh out of months in the bush molded by rigorous military training. Her warning to DR Congo’s reigning African light-welterweight champion, Mbalayi Mbamba, is simple: Prepare for total annihilation.

Keep your eyes on Mwengo Mwale, Albert Ngulube and Catherine Mwape too. They all starred for Zambia in the Glasgow Commonwralth Games with bronze medallist Catherine making history as the first-ever Zambian female boxer to win a medal in the Commonwealth Games.

Mwale, the brutal bantamweight punched his way to the Dubai World quarterfinals and snatched silver at the African Games in Accra. With a devastating reach advantage, he is primed to dictate the pace.

What awaits Kinshasa is 14 days of leather, flying sweat, and jaw-dropping action. No love lost. Every fighter is ready to bleed for glory and the lucrative prize money courtesy of the International Boxing Association.

Explaining how this elite squad was assembled, Zambia Boxing Federation Secretary-General Humphrey Kasosolwa stated that the selection was strictly merit-based, fusing core Commonwealth Games medallists with top performers scouted at the National Agricultural Show championship. He confirmed that the federation is aggressively sourcing funds to camp the large squad, promising that this is absolutely the best crop of Zambian talent available.

The team will be guided by an experienced technical trio: Ariel Banda, Charles Kangwa, and Maybin Gunduzani.

The 16 battle-ready boxers are:

Men

48kg: Elias Banda

51kg: Nene Mahonga

54kg: Mwengo Mwale

57kg: Gabriel Mukuka60kg: Albert Ngulube

63.5kg: Andrew Chilata

67kg: Emmanuel Katema

71kg: Gerald Kabinda

75kg: Jonathan Mwiinga

Women

50kg: Joana Bwalya

52kg: Chipo Kapempe

54kg: Catherine Mwape

57kg: Violet Moonga

60kg: Patricia Bwalya

63kg: Felisters Nkandu

66kg: Maureen Tembo

▪️Uganda recaptured the regional crown following the controversial victory of heavyweight Dodovic Owiny over Kenya’s former body builder Fred Sabat

September 23, 2026

Forty-seven years ago, East Africa’s greatest boxing rivalry between Kenya and Uganda reached a furious, chaotic climax inside a packed Nairobi City Hall.

The 1979 East and Central Africa Boxing Championships (Fescaaba) final was more than just a tournament; it was a tension-charged war between two boxing superpowers.

The drama built to a razor-thin deadlock. Both Kenya and Uganda stood even with five gold medals apiece after a scrappy light-heavyweight bout saw Uganda’s Abubaker Semuyanja outpoint Tanzania’s John Magesa. The entire tournament rested on the final heavyweight showdown: Kenya’s Fred “Sachi” Sabat, a former bodybuilder, versus Uganda’s towering titan, Dodovic Owiny.

Kenya’s depth at the time was staggering. The country boasted enough elite talent to field three separate world-class national teams.

While this core group battled in Nairobi, a parallel Kenyan squad was in Libya for the African Championships, featuring icons like Napunyi “Tottoh” Oduori, George “Mosquito” Findo, Patrick “Mont” Waweru, Ali “Ojukwu” Athumani, and Philip “PC” Mathenge or Machine Gun if you like.

In Nairobi, the home team featured nine finalists, anchored by the boxing brothers—Steve “Destimo” Muchoki and Mike “Stone” Irungu—both fresh off gold medal performances at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada. They were flanked by Nakuru’s punching machine Isaiah “Danicho” Ikhoni, another Nakuru product featherweight John “Duran” Wanjau, and ring marshal Kamau “Pipino” Wanyoike.

Uganda countered with a menacing 10-man finalist lineup led by the devastatingly powerful welterweight John “The Beast” Mugabi, alongside flyweight Adron Butembeki, the incredibly durable Cuban Businge, light-middleweight Paul Muyodi, and middleweight Dick Katende.

Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Malawi were the four countries in Nairobi but the rivalry between the two powerhouses ensured the glamour remained untarnished. Seychelles, Zambia, Somalia and Ethiopia pulled out at the last minute.

Speedy Muchoki set Nairobi ablaze early, executing a masterclass of ring geometry, clever sidestepping, and clinical footwork to stop Tanzania’s Clement Chacha in the second round.

Not to be outdone, his younger brother Mike Irungu sent the deafening “Dallas brigade” into a frenzy, dropping Uganda’s Adron Butembeki in the opening round of the flyweight bout with a devastating right hand. Chants of “Irosh funga kazi!” shook the rafters. The terraces were alive with a raucous Nairobi crowd, fueled by the frothy liquids of Ruaraka and the unblinking, hyper-focused gaze powered by the golden Meru herb.

Power punching bantamweight Isaiah Ikhoni dominated Uganda’s Cuban Businge enroute to a unanimous points victory in his debut for the national team.

Uganda quickly struck back. Mohammed Balinda outpointed John Wanjau, and lightweight Samuel Isiko – surprise winner over fancied Kenyan Michael Mwangi in the semis – defeated Tanzania’s Omar Gulaya.

The tension surged as Kenya’s African Games light-welterweight champion Kamau “Pipino” Wanyoike, a southpaw master of deception, danced his way to a points victory over Vitalis Nyamor.

Yet Uganda responded instantly when John “The Beast” Mugabi knocked out Kenya’s Steve Okumu in the very first round at welterweight, avenging his previous semi-final loss to a Kenyan when Pipino Wanyoike beat him at the 1978 African Games.

Uganda’s light-middleweight Paul Muyodi gave them their fourth win outpointing Kenyatta University graduate John Omollo before middleweight Charles “Dixie Kidi” Oduori halted Uganda’s charge, defeating Dick Katende on points.

With wins trading back and forth, the stage was set for the heavyweights. The final bout was pure theater. Fred Sabat hit the canvas twice in the opening round as the towering Owiny used his reach to dominate. But the Kenyan bodybuilder recovered his poise in the second, roaring back to floor Owiny with a vicious left hook that shook City Hall to its foundations. By the third round, the crowd was a wall of sound, pushing Sabat forward. The Kenyan was firmly in the driver’s seat, winning the exchanges and hunting for the finish. With the clock ticking down, Sabat unleashed a swift, shattering left punch that sent an exhausted Owiny staggering backward toward the ropes. Then came the fatal error. As Owiny was already falling toward the canvas, Sabat, blinded by adrenaline, made a costly blunder. He threw a final hammer blow that struck the Ugandan on the back of the head, accelerating Owiny’s descent until he landed flat on his stomach.

Interestingly, Ugandan referee David Agong counted out Owiny and then disqualified Sabat, igniting a storm of protests from furious Kenyan fans and officials who vehemently protested the decision. They accused Agong of blatant, flagrant bias to save his compatriot. The disqualification handed Owiny the victory, allowing Uganda to steal the overall championship crown in the most bitter and acrimonious finish the tournament had ever seen. Agong was smuggled out of City Hally under tight police escort as irate Kenyan fans bayed for his blood.

The Amateur Boxing Association of Kenya (ABA) Secretary-General Harrison Kalonzo, himself an R&J, shook his head in disbelief on Agong’s decision.

“The disqualification leaves a lot to be desired. What I don’t understand is why the referee counted out Owiny first and then disqualified Sabat, he should have disqualified Sabat if he landed a foul punch,” said a disappointed Kalonzo.

The team manager of Kenya’s team Fred Mwangi filed a protest but ABA chairman Major Marsden Madoka later decided they move on because the decision would not be reversed.

Such was the excitement, controversy, patriotism and quality boxing which characterized the Golden Era between the two East African boxing giants at the time.