The final leg of the Kenya National Boxing League in Homabay, Dec 19-21
One of Kenya’s top international boxers Hezron Magaga put up a polished performance to stop Prisons’ Ibrahim Shikanda as Mwinyi Kombo aka Giant Killer was fully stretched in the semi-finals of the Kenya National Boxing League 5th and final leg at the Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay, about 420km south-west of Kenya’s capital city Nairobi. 
Magaga, who first represented Kenya in the 2010 World Youth Championships and then graduated to the senior national team in 2021, was in total command of the fight, punishing the Prisons’ boxer with painful body blows and neat left jabs that hit Shikanda with alarming frequency.
On noticing Shikanda was getting hurt by Magaga’s body blows, the referee gave him some respite with a standing eight count in the second round before stopping the fight at one minute 27 seconds to save the Prisons’ boxer from receiving further unnecessary punishment.
“I decided to switch to more body punches because he was not feeling my head punches and that worked well for me,” said Magaga, a member of Kenya Defence Forces’ team.
National featherweight champion Mwinyi Kombo of Prisons made heavy weather in his close 2-1 points win over Vihiga southpaw Boaz Ambuka who soaked up pressure in the first round to complete the full course.
Mwinyi floored Ambuka in the first round with a strong left hook that exploded on his jaw. Hardly had Ambuka recovered when he made another trip to the canvas courtesy of Mwinyi’s one-two combinations for an eight count.
However, the tide changed in the second and third round as Ambuka rallied back strongly with Kombo having difficulties in hitting the target. Kombo found himself punching the pads of his red corner after Ambuka swiftly side-stepped the charging Mombasa-based boxer.
The third round continued in the same pattern with the shorter Mwinyi unable to connect well. Midway through the round, Ambuka hit Kombo with several unanswered head punches resulting in an eight count for the Prisons’ boxer who however carried the day with a split points victory.
Much was expected in the welterweight clash between Homa Bay’s southpaw Junior Ochieng aka Junruly and most promising boxer in the 2021 Jamal Cup in Kisumu, Lenox Kusimba of Prisons, but the fight ended in the first round following a deep gash above Kusimba’s right eye.
Kusimba switched to southpaw stance in a bid to confuse his opponent. Initially, both engaged in phone-booth exchanges contrary to expectations of an action-packed duel.
In the course of the close-quarter exchanges, Ochieng accidentally head-butted Kusimba, opening a cut above his right eye.
Referee Joseph Onyango stopped the fight for ringside doctor, Tom Kiboma, to examine Kusimba’s cut. He then decided the fight can’t continue forcing the referee to stop it at two minutes 59 seconds.
Ochieng was not impressed with his victory.
“I’m unhappy the way I boxed, it wasn’t a good fight for me, Kusimba is a very strong boxer,” said Ochieng.
Kusimba was calm in defeat but obviously disappointed.
“I hit him with a strong body punch and then he clinched to recover that’s when he head-butted me but it wasn’t intentional,” said Kusimba, adding:”He even told me he wasn’t going to win the fight because I was hitting him more often with strong punches.”
Prisons’ coach Dan Shisia was not happy with Kusimba’s decision to adopt the southpaw stance yet he’s an orthodox.
“I was against him fighting as a southpaw,” said Shisia, a former international who won bronze medals at the 2003 and 2007 African Games.
“It would have been an easy game for Kusimba, he was stronger than his opponent but he decided to play into the hands of Ochieng, it’s a mistake we need to rectify,” said Shisia.
KDF’s international heavyweight Peter Abuti was unwell, and therefore did not show up for his super-heavyweight bout against Kisumu’s John Otieno who received a walkover.
The finals take place today, December 21, and will be streamed live on BFK’s YouTube Channel from 3pm.
Full results
Bantamweight
Shaban Mohamed (Mombasa) outpointed Evans Odhiambo (Homa Bay)
Featherweight
Michael Otieno (KDF) outpointed Job Brian (Homa Bay),
Mwinyi Kombo (Prisons) beat Boaz Ambuka (Vihiga) 2-1 pts
Lightweight
Nelson Ouma (Siaya) beat John Kanyike (Kisumu) 2-1 pts,
Francis Mwema (KDF) beat Calvin Otieno (Homa Bay) 2-1 pts
Welterweight
Junior Ochieng (Homa Bay) beat Lenox Kusimba (Prisons) RSC injury round one
Light-middleweight
Andrew Odhiambo (Prisons) got a walkover against Kisumu’s Eugene Otieno who was unwell,
Alvin Oduor (KDF) stopped Homa Bay’s Filbert Okoth in the second round.
Heavyweight
Hezron Magaga (KDF) stopped Prisons’ Ibrahim Shikanda in round two
Super-heavyweight
Kisumu’s John Otieno got a walkover against KDF’s Peter Abuti who was sick.
