▪️Captain Boniface Mogunde and several other Kenyan boxers feel like they’re in Kenya’s Coastal city of Mombasa known for its humidity
3/12/2025
Kenyan boxers are coping up with ultra humid Dubai as they acclamatise each one of them aware that one fact is inescapable: they must climb through the ropes to represent their country in the 23rd edition of Men’s World Boxing Championships starting on Thursday at the open air Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium.
“It’s hot like Mombasa, we’re sweating all over,” Mogunde the reigning Africa light-middleweight champion told BFK Media’s Paparrazi Duncan Kuria aka Sugar Ray in an interview.
“We’re so lucky the tournament will now start on Thursday otherwise we would have had it rough if they started on Wednesday as planned,” said Mogunde, one of the Kenyans favoured to reach the semi-finals and beyond.
“This is a blessing in disguise I ask Kenyans to pray for us, God is our guide we will perform better than in 2023,” said a deeply religious Mogunde.
The same views were expressed by head coach Musa Benjamin, the longest-serving international in the team Shaffi Bakari, flyweight Kelvin Maina and Africa Zone 3 featherweight champion Philip Omondi .
“We arrived in Dubai safely at midnight on Tuesday to be met by this humid weather but we have time to do a bit of polishing before boxers take to the ring on Thursday otherwise we’re ready,” Musa who
has handled the national team since 2019 and therefore has all the tricks up his sleeve. Dubai is his third time in the World Championships as the head coach.
“I thank Allah we arrived safely, the delay of the draw and start of the tournament has given us a chance to acclamatise to the hot weather but since I’m from Mombasa I feel at home I’m used to this hot weather,’ said Shaffi appearing in his fourth World Championships.
Despite taking part in the World Championships for the first time, Africa Military Games flyweight champion Kelvin “Young” Maina and Philip Omondi have maintained Kenya’s warrior-like approach.
“I’m okay just acclamatising to the humid weather but like I said earlier I’m not new in the world stage so there’s nothing to worry me,” said Maina.
“I was happy to fly for the first time and take snacks in the plane I really enjoyed it,” said Omondi who made his international debut in the Africa Zone 3 Championships in Nairobi.
“Mkono.ni mkono haijui dini ama rangi ya mtu ni kujipanga tu kwa ring tutavunja watu hapa,” added a defiant Omondi saying once in the ring it’s the fists to do the talking and they don’t even know the colour or religion of your opponent.
Kenya will be represented by 13 boxers in the Dubai show eight of them making their debut in the World Championships which has a total of $8.32 million at stake as prize money, making it the richest ever boxing tournament.
There’s $300,000 for gold medallists, silver medallists $150,000, bronze medallists $75,000 and quarter-finalists $10,000.
