For over 10 years now, a prominent Mombasa businessman, Anwar Pandya, has silently been bankrolling Mbaraki Boxing Club.
A staunch boxing fan, Pandya has improved the lives of several youth abusing drugs using boxing as a vehicle for change at the Mbaraki Club.
“I’m very happy through my support, Mbaraki has produced good boxers some of whom have joined the forces,” says Pandya whose son Samir Anwar boxed for Mbaraki Club before turning pro in Dubai.
He hailed the French Embassy for supporting the development of boxing in Mombasa, and that he is ready to work alongside such serious sponsors of boxing in Kenya’s second largest city.
“I’m willing to work with the Mombasa County Boxing Association to maintain this initiative started by the French Embassy because we have to look into ways of sustaining such a worthy project,” says Pandya._Samir Anwar now fighting as a pro in Dubai_
“They’ll have to be careful on how the money is used to avoid misuse of funds by some unscrupulous officials whose aim is just to fulfill their selfish interests.”
Pandya is happy with the work of Mbaraki Boxing Club coach Paul Mathenge aka Swagaa.
“Swagaa has done very well as a coach, I’ll continue supporting him because he’s dedicated to his job,” says Pandya
Among some boxers who have passed through Mathenge’s hands include his own son and bronze medallist in the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Black Moses Mathenge, Rayton Okwiri , Ashira Oure and Australia-based pro boxer Brian Agina.
