🇰🇪 Kenya National Boxing League Finals Round-up 2024
BOTTOMS UP KDF AS BFK ACHIEVE A MILESTONE LIVE TRANSMISSION.
It was song and dance for jovial and excited Kenya Defence Forces team led by their vice-chairman Colonel Paul Mungori at the Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay, about 420km south-west of Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi.
Clad in light yellow Tshirts emblazoned with the words “We are the Champions 2024”, the dancing KDF boxers and officials signified the joy of winning in sports.
“This win means a lot to us. We’re so happy and as soldiers we cherish the feeling of conquest in any battle,” said a smiling Mungori as he danced with his boxers at the Raila Odinga Stadium with the VIP stand packed to capacity.
What an inspiring spectacle watching African Military Games silver medallist Veronica Mbithe play the role of cheerleader adding more flavour and spice to what was a colourful and pleasant finish to the 2024 Kenya National Boxing League.
Encouragingly, former international boxers, Nick Okoth aka Commander, CEO Nick Abaka, Tabu Orieyo, Sammy Magima, Simon Mulinge and Black Moses Mathenge were not left out of the party either. They contributed a great deal to the success of KDF as coaches.
As KDF revelled in their deserved league victory, Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) were over the moon by successfully midwifing the first-ever live transmission of the Kenya National Boxing League since its inception in 1981.
It’s a significant milestone for BFK that has elevated them to a new level in the digital era and a further testament to their committed and concerted efforts to improve Kenya’s boxing standards under their humble president Anthony “Jamal” Otieno who said this is the beginning of a new era in Kenya boxing.
“We will maintain the live transmissions in next season’s national league matches and international contests because we know what it means to expose our boxers in such live broadcasts as well building our fan base, DRC are also coming to Nairobi to meet our national team,” said Jamal who is confident sponsors will come on board to support them revamp boxing which is Kenya’s most successful sport at the Olympics together with athletics.
“Next year we plan to introduce several new tournaments in our calendar chief among them Kenya Champions’ Night to be run in a similar format like IBA Champions’ Night, we will select specific deserving boxers and match them per weight to produce a grand night of boxing with prize money at stake,” said Jamal who was mobbed by Homa Bay fans after the finals and Kisumu boxers all eager to take a selfie with the BFK leader, a man of the people. He was flanked by secretary-general David Munuhe, treasurer Musa Benjamin and competitions secretary John Waweru who presided over the organisation of the three-day final leg of the national league and did a marvelous job in marshalling his team made up of top referees and judges among them Nelson Otieno aka Jaluo Jeuri, Joseph Odhiambo “OJ”, Rebecca Wambui, David Ouma, Chege Njenga, Mercy Musila, Kibunja Nderu, David Opiyo, Leila Said and Stephen Ndung’u. Kudos to you all RJs you’ve played a big role in the success of the league and take note without your contribution, no boxing competition can take place.
The finals were superb with hundreds of cheering Homa Bay fans adding more impetus to a well organised event.
KDF’s international featherweight Pauline Chege suffered an upset points defeat to Siaya’s Emmaculate Atieno. The Siaya boxer overpowered Pauline with her more authoritative punches and aggression. Atieno is a product of Top Rank coach Joseph Ochieng aka D4 who has groomed good boxers such as former Kenyan international Dennis Okoth”Billabong”, now fighting as a pro in the USA with a record of 4-6-1, 2 KOs.
The other impressive boxer from Siaya was middleweight Nivael Otieno who surprisingly lost to KDF’s Steve Onyango despite subjecting the soldier to two standing counts.
Siaya is indeed the home of boxing in Western Kenya Region. Among the top boxers from Siaya County are James “Demosh” Omondi, Charles “Dixie Kidi” Oduori and brother Ojow Mamba, Raymond Juma and Remjus Oketch who is one of the pioneer boxers in Nairobi’s Kaloleni Estatem. Uganda’s former internationals Alex Odhiambo, Mathias Ouma and James Odwori are also from Siaya.
KDF’s Mbotela Estate-bred Alvin Oduor maintained his scintillating show by stopping Prisons’ Andrew Odhiambo in the second round of the light-middleweight class with Homa Bay’s school teacher at Loita Junior Secondary in Narok, Junior Ochieng, finding the going rough against Siaya’s relentless puncher Samuel Owuor who stopped Ochieng in the third round.
It was a walk in the park for KDF internationals, light-heavyweight Robert Okaka, cruiserweight Chris Ochanda and heavyweight Hezron Maganga all of them winning their fights inside the distance. Okaka, a bronze medallist in the Africa Championships, stopped Prisons’ Steve Otengo in round one, Ochanda KO’d Homa Bay’s Kassim Abdi and Maganga stopped Vihiga’s Steve Okoyo in the first round.
Siaya, Homa Bay, Vihiga and Kisumu boxers showed admirable courage, determination and raw power. The introduction of training camps and regular competitions will further sharpen their boxing and give them more confidence.
Coach Jacob Omune has done a commendable job in Homa Bay. Like most grassroots coaches, lack of equipment is his most pressing problem.
“We need sparring gloves, speedballs, skipping ropes and pads to make my job easier coaching youngsters here,” Omune told boxersworld.co.ke
Transfix coach Samson Mtoni returns to Mombasa satisfied by the impressive performance of his three boxers whose trip to Homa Bay was sponsored by Mombasa Maize Millers boss Ali Islam.
“I’m very grateful to Islam for supporting my boys, without his sponsorship we would not have travelled because it’s very expensive during the festive season, it cost us four thousand shillings each plus accommodation,” said Mtoni whose bantamweight Shaban Mohamed won his final bout against Kisumu’s Samson Odhiambo.
Financial constraints also affected defending champions Police, Nairobi County and Kibra .They all failed to make it to Homa Bay.
*Full results of Kenya National Boxing League 5th leg finals in Homa Bay*
Flyweight
Mwinyi Omar (KDF) outpointed Moses Kilavuka (Prisons)
Bantamweight
Shaban Mohamed (Mombasa) outpointed Samson Odhiambo (Kisumu)
Featherweight
Mwinyi Kombo (Prisons) got a walkover against KDF’s Michael Otieno
Pauline Chege (KDF) lost on points to Siaya’s Emmaculate Atieno
Lightweight
Nelson Ouma (Siaya) lost on points to Francis Mwema (KDF)
Light-welterweight
Anthony Maina (Prisons) outpointed Gatambo Irungu (KDF)
Welterweight
Samuel Owuor (Siaya) stopped Junior Ochieng (Homa Bay) round three
Light-middleweight
Andrew Odhiambo (Prisons) lost to Alvin Oduor (KDF) RSC round two
Middleweight
Steve Onyango (KDF) outpointed Nivael Otieno (Siaya)
Light-heavyweight
Steve Otengo (Prisons) lost to Robert Okaka (KDF) RSC round one
Cruiserweight
Kassim Abdi (Homa Bay) lost to Chris Ochanda (KDF) KO round two
Heavyweight
Steve Okoyo (Vihiga) lost to Hezron Maganga (KDF) RSC round one
Super-heavyweight
Jasper Shagali (Prisons) stopped John Otieno (Kisumu) round two
