Kenya National Boxing League action moves to NaxVegas as bitter rivals defending champions KDF and Police dig trenches for total war in the Home of Boxing
After being away from boxing for almost a year, reigning African Military Games flyweight champion, Kelvin “Young” Maina, is back in action and has sounded a warning to all the ‘tenants’ in the flyweight division.
He says they either move to the ‘servants quarters’ or he will evict them come rain come shine.
The aggressive KDF boxer is taking no prisoners at the famous Madison Square Garden in Nakuru, the home of some of Kenya’s top boxers such as twice Olympic medallist Philip Waruinge, his younger brother Olympic bronze medallist Sammy Mbogwa, Africa champion John Nderu, twice world title contestant David “DK” Kamau and 1980 Golden Cup Best Boxer and gold medallist Isaiah “Danicho” Ikhoni.
“I’m not underrating any of my opponents because they’ve trained also but I’m back with a new weapon to destroy them,” a combative Maina told boxersworld.co.ke in an interview.
Maina will be uncompromising in the pursuit of his burning ambition to don the national vest as Africa Zone 3 Championships beckon in Nairobi next month.
“I know my opponents are training to defeat me. Let them know I’m in top shape ready to silence them.”
In Maina’s absence, the main actors in the flyweight berth have been Diouf Muimi of Police “Chafua Chafua”, Jericho Boxing Club’s Emmanuel “Manu” Chondo and KDF teammate Abednego Kyalo the Africa bronze medallist who will have to move down to minimumweight.
“I’ve been following Manu and Diouf they’re good boxers but now that I’m back in action it’s not going to be business as usual,” Maina told boxersworld.co.ke
Maina has defeated Diouf once in Mombasa in 2024 but he has yet to meet Jericho boy Manu.
The rivalry between Manu and Diouf has intensified with the Police boxer so far having an edge defeating Manu twice to make it 2-2 with Manu having previously defeated Diouf twice.
Manu and his handlers are however dissatisfied with the officiating in the last two bouts, claiming Diouf is enjoying piggyback rides from the judges.
Now the flyweight ‘landlord’ Maina is back. It’s going to be messy in NaxVegas.
Maina attributes his interest in boxing to bosom buddy Sam Njau, the 2022 Africa featherweight silver medallist currently on a break but will be back in the ring when he’s through with his official duties at KDF.
“We grew up in the same place, schooled together and we were deskmates as well as family friends, Njau influenced me a lot to start boxing in 2011,” says Maina whose major goal this year is to represent the national team.
“This year I want to work hard and make it to the national team,” says the ambitious Kenyan soldier formerly a matatu conductor in Githurai before joining KDF.
Maina’s highest point is winning a gold medal in the African Military Games in Abuja, Nigeria, in 2024, an achievement dear to his heart.
“The going in Abuja was not easy meeting boxers who had just come from the African Games in Accra but I beat them all.”
With the African Military Games gold medal under his belt there’s no stopping Maina in his quest to represent the national team in next month’s Africa Zone 3 Championships in Nairobi.
He is further inspired by the support he receives from his parents, dad Moses Maina and mum Philomena Njoki, both of whom follow keenly the progress of their son in the ring.
“I thank my parents so much for their encouragement in my boxing career, they’re the pillar of my strength in the ring,” says Maina as he looks ahead to the third leg of the Kenya National Boxing League starting on Thursday, September 18, 2025, to make a big statement at Nakuru’s Madison Square Garden. Good luck soldier boy.
