▪️His standout show made Kenya’s national boxing team head coach Musa Benjamin to sit up and take notice
A grade 10 student at Githurai High School, Ken Muindi, was the most outstanding boxer in the three-day Nairobi Novices Tournament which ended on Saturday, January 24, at Umoja Gym.
The 17-year-old Muindi, representing Githurai Thailand Club, won the flyweight title with a dominant points win over Isaac Pastor of Kibera Olympic.
He put up a remarkable performance, displaying polished offensive and defensive skills, tact, speed and composure to announce his arrival in Kenya’s boxing scene.
The novices is normally a tournament for beginners to test the waters in this combat sport but Muindi’s maturity in the game belied his status as a beginner.
So impressed was Kenya’s national team head coach Musa Benjamin that he also singled out Muindi as the standout performer.
“The boy is good he’s definitely national team material if he remains consistent,” Musa told boxersworld.co.ke in an interview at the Umoja Gym.
Musa further shared his analysis on Muindi’s qualities.
“He’s got perfect physical and technical qualities to become a top boxer, good balance, proper stance, tight guard and clean punches.
“He also has nice punch varieties, jabs, body shots and effective combinations. Muindi is also composed under pressure and has the right mental and psychological attributes of a champion.”
Muindi started boxing in 2023 at the Githurai Thailand Boxing Club under the tutelage of renowned grassroots coach John “Chea” Ochieng.
“This is my first time to take part in the novices tournament I’m so happy winning the Nairobi title,” said Muindi.
“I’m now looking forward to the national novices championships to fight opponents from other parts of the country.”
The National Novices Tournament is scheduled for Nairobi from from February 5-7.
If Muindi wins the national novices title he graduates to the intermediate level whose nationals are on February 26-28 in Thika.
Muindi singles out compatriot, Africa Zone 3 welterweight bronze medallist Wiseman Kavondo, as his favourite boxer in Kenya.
“He’s a clever boxer not a fighter and is also stylish, that’s my style I prefer to box clean with a variety of punches,” Muindi told boxersworld.co.ke
At the world level, Muindi’s idol is Russia’s WBA, IBO, IBF and WBO light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol (24-1-0, 12 KOs).
“Bivol is a clean and intelligent boxer I like how he fights.”
For now Muindi’s burning ambition is to represent the national team, a goal his contact coach John Ochieng agrees is achievable.
“Muindi is very much capable of being in the Kenya team, he’s a disciplined boxer, since he joined Githurai Thailand Club he has never misbehaved, he’s a good boxer and unpredictable in the ring, you can’t know what he’s up to,” said Ochieng who took over the club in 2008 after the former coach Norton Mwaura started Kahawa Club.
“Githurai Thailand started in 1998 when Mwaura was our head coach, several outstanding boxers including internationals Kevin Maina, Friza Asilo and Faith Nafuna are my products, infact when Friza was recruited by KDF she was my boxer.”
*Overall positions in the Nairobi County Novices Tournament*
1.Kibra Olympics -14pts.
2.Kasarani youth -13pts.
3.Thailand -13pts
4.Uhuru Boxing Club-10pts.
5.Githurai 44- 6pts.
6.Mathare North -6pts
7.Jericho -6pts
8.Kariobangi -5pts
9.Kahawa -5pts
10.Kibra youth -4pts
11.Box girls -13pts
12.Queen of Peace- 2pts
13.Lumumba Bare knuckles -2pts
14.Kaloleni -2pts
15.Mbotela -2pts
16.Umoja -2pts
17.St. Teresa’s -1pts
18.Kayole Rapid -1pts
19.N.C.C. -1pts
20.Jet MAB -1pts
21.Kangemi -0pts
22.Lumumba B.C.-0pts
23.Mecca -0pts.
Nairobi Novices Championship Finalsl results
MINIMUMWEIGHT ;
Abdi Mohammed (Thailand) beat Ambrose Junior (Kariobangi) pts.
FLYWEIGHT
Ladies
Rehema Hamed (Thailand) lost to Mary Anyango (Boxgirls) RSC 1
Men ;
Kennedy Muindi (Githurai Thailand) defeated Isaac Pastor (Kibra Olympics) pts.
BANTAMWEIGHT
Michael Mwendwa (Thailand) lost to Allan Muhavi (Uhuru) RSC
FEATHERWEIGHT
Ezra Nelly (Thailand) outpointed Derrick Muthoga (Kahawa)
LIGHTWEIGHT
Ladies
Doreen Kitui (G44) beat Blessing Chemui(Kangemi) via w/o.
Men
Brian Mwangi (Githurai Thailand) lost to Dennis Blacks (Kahawa) opts.
LIGHT-WELTERWEIGHT
Eugene Omondi (Mbotela) lost to Kevin Juma (Kasarani Youth) pts
WELTERWEIGHT
Ladies
Rehema Hassan (Kibra Olympics) lost to Joyce Nyaga(Jericho) pts
Men
Elvis Lincoln (Kasarani Youth) defeated Edward Mugambi (Kaloleni) pts
LIGHT-MIDDLEWEIGHT
Mathew Mumina (Uhuru) beat Reegan Ricky (Kibra Olympics) RSC 1
MIDDLEWEIGHT
Adam Manssuh (Kibra Olympics) beat Morrison Manyasa (Lumumba) RSC 2
LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT
Denis Faret (Kasarani Youth) lost to Branel Ochieng (Jericho) pts
CRUISERWEIGHT
Moses Otieno (Kibra Olympics) lost to Isaac Eboyi (Uhuru) on disqualification
KEN MUINDI STAR PERFORMER IN NAIROBI NOVICES TOURNAMENT
HEAVYWEIGHT
Luaman Bashir (Queen of Peace) lost to Brian Mirage (Kibra Youth) RSC 2
SUPER-HEAVYWEIGHT
James Mwangi (Kariobangi) lost to Abulahi Ali (Kasarani Youth) RSC 3
SUPERVISOR
Maurice “Kawata” Maina.
ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR
Sosman Okungu.
DOCTOR
Boniface Oyieko.
