▪️”I just slipped then the referee gave me a count for nothing after which he spoke to me Portuguese and stopped the fight,” says Ella Demesi
▪️Sonia Atieno attributes her defeat to lack of power because she slashed 4 kgs to make the lightweight category
▪️”I just don’t know why I suddenly ran out of gas towards end of round two and three,” recalls Felix Ochieng who says chicken was his number one enemy on the menu
▪️Clinton Omondi hailed new Kenyan cap Paul Omondi for his hard sparring and inspiring them at Kibra Youth Club

20/12/2025

Kenyan teenage boxers have cited language barrier with referees, humid weather condition and poorly prepared food as some of the challenges they encountered in the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.

In a lively telephone interview with boxersworld.co.ke from Luanda, the charming and talkative Kenyan youth radiated an aura of confidence and inner satisfaction on their performance, all of them making their international debut.

Kenya placed eighth overall with two bronze medals from grade 8 pupil at Mbagathi Road Primary Clinton Omondi and Kisumu’s rising giant Sonia Atieno. DR Congo topped the medal chart followed by Algeria, Nigeria, Angola and Tunisia.

The 15-year-old Omondi eliminated Namibia’s Kalenga Leevi in the quarter-finals and lost to DR Congo’s Bofenda Mabela in the flyweight semi-finals.

“The semis game was okay against the DR Congo boxer, he’s not a good boxer but he was just too strong,” Omondi said.

“Niliona wanauzia watu uoga lakini sikushtuka vile, nilifungua war noma naye,” Omondi told boxersworld.co.ke in our interview that the DR Congo boxer tried to scare him but he stood firm and engaged him in a toe-to-toe encounter won by Mabela 2-1.

“I suspected he was not my age, on realising he was a strong puncher in round one, I decided to move scoring with several blows in the second and third round.

“He was scoring with one or two punches so maybe the judges gave him the fight because of throwing heavier punches, I feel this wrong a punch is a punch so long as it has hit the target.”

Against the taller Namibian boxer, Omondi said he decided to keep him close and cutting the ring to ensure he’s close to him and won on points.

“I thank our inspiration Paul Omondi for the different tactics he has taught me and the hard sparring I do with him,” said Omondi eyeing a job at Kenya Defence Forces after completing school. Paul Omondi, Africa Zone 3 bronze medallist, fought his way to the pre-quarters in the recent Men’s World Championships in Dubai.

Nyalenda-based Korumba Boxing Club member Sonia Atieno oozed confidence and hopes for a bright future in the ring despite losing in the semi-finals to Tunisia’s Alma Zaara.

“This is just the start of my rise to the top, I feel good but not satisfied with my result, I wanted gold not bronze,” said the 16-year-old grade 9 pupil at Central School in Kisumu Atieno, attributing her loss to slashing four kilograms in one day to make lightweight category from light-welterweight.

“I had no power because of reducing weight, I’m more comfortable in light-welterweight, Imagine I slept on three apples only without drinking water on the eve of my fight with the Tunisian,” explained the talented Atieno who is the reigning national novices and intermediate champion.

“If I boxed in my usual weight I would have KO’d all of them, I will hopefully meet my Tunisian opponent in the African Youth Olympics in 2026 and beat her.

“She’s a big hitter and tried her body punches on me but realised I was fitter than she expected because they were not affecting me.”

Commenting on the language barrier, Atieno said it was a big challenge to many boxers because they were using Portuguese.

“Most of the refs were from Angola, they really confused boxers speaking to them in Portuguese we don’t understand.

“A DR Congo coach created a scene when his boxer’s victory was stolen against Angolan opponent, Police had to intervene to cool down the situation, it was bad.”

Atieno’s burning ambition is to become Kenya’s first female world champion in amateur boxing and work for the Kenya Police.

“If I join Police I will also enroll at the University to study law.”

Flyweight Ella Demesi was so annoyed by the referee’s decision to stop her bout in the first round for no reason against Tunisia’s Oueslatim Tashmin.

“I just slipped to the canvas, no punch hit me then he counted, spoke to me in Portuguese I don’t understand and stopped the fight,” said the 16-year-old Demesi, a grade 9 student at Raila Educational Centre in Kibra.

“I will start learning some foreign languages to avoid what happened,” said Demesi whose aim is to win an Olympic medal and join KDF where she wants to work as a nurse. She stays at Mashimoni slums with her parents.

Demesi, Clinton Omondi and featherweight Felix Ochieng are all members of Kibra Youth Boxing Club. Ochieng lost on points in the quarter-finals to DR Congo’s Mambu Mambone.

“I ran out of gas towards the end of round two and three, I don’t know why because I trained well maybe it’s because of the heat, it was too much,” said Ochieng, unimpressed by the food in Angola.

“The food was tasteless, we mostly ate rice, chicken, smoky and eggs for breakfast,” said Ochieng, adding:”I avoided chicken, it’s not like ours here so I ate rice alone.” The 16-year-old Ochieng is a grade 9 pupil at Mbagathi Road Primary, the same school with teammate Clinton Omondi. They all have a lot of respect for World Championships pre-quarterfinalist Paul Omondi who was also a member of the club but has now joined the Kenya Police.

December 20, 2025

The International Boxing Association (IBA) has issued a statement from its President, Umar Kremlev, following the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to lift restrictions on the participation of youth athletes holding Russian or Belarusian passports in international competitions.

The announcement came after the 14th Olympic Summit, held at Olympic House in Lausanne, where leaders of the Olympic Movement reaffirmed athletes’ fundamental right to access sport globally without political interference. The Summit also reviewed the IOC’s ongoing “Fit for the Future” consultation process, the progress of upcoming Olympic events, and discussions around ensuring political neutrality within sport.

Kremlev: “The IOC had no other choice but to reverse their previous decision.”

Reacting to the IOC’s move, President Kremlev strongly reiterated the IBA’s long-standing position that athletes must never be punished for geopolitical disputes.

“The IOC exists to protect the interests of athletes, which includes allowing them to represent their country under their own flag and anthem, not restricting them. For athletes, their anthem and flag are their heart and soul; this is what they compete for at international events.”

“Athletes – not politics – must always stand on the podium. They had no other choice but to reverse their previous silly decision.”

Kremlev added that the earlier measures to remove flags and anthems from athletes “made no sense from the very beginning,” and the latest development shows the IOC acknowledging this.

At the recent Summit, Olympic leaders agreed that youth athletes from Russia and Belarus should no longer be restricted from international youth competitions—both individual and team—provided they fall under regulations of the respective International Federations (IFs).

Key takeaways from the IOC decision include:

Youth athletes should not be held accountable for actions of their governments.
Standard protocols on flags, anthems, and uniforms may apply when the national federation is in good standing.
Existing restrictions on senior-level competitions and sanctions against Russian and Belarusian government officials remain in place.
IBA cites its own model of political neutrality

President Kremlev highlighted that the IBA has already implemented a fully inclusive approach—one that prioritises athletes and their right to compete under their national symbols.

IBA demonstrates how sport can remain free from politics. All international sports organizations should follow this example.

He pointed to the IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships in Dubai, where over 500 boxers from 118 countries competed proudly under their respective flags and anthems—a model he believes the Olympic Movement should embrace.

About the IBA’s Position

The IBA has consistently advocated for an athlete-first policy, emphasising that sport must remain a bridge between nations rather than a battleground for political agendas. The Association continues to maintain that protecting the integrity and unity of sport requires allowing all eligible athletes to compete without discrimination.

Courtesy IBA

•  Clinton Omondi eliminated by DR Congo’s flyweight Bofenda Mabela in the semi-finals

In a toe-to-toe exchange fight, Kenya’s Clinton Omondi went down fighting losing narrowly on points to DR Congo’s Bofenda Mabela in the semi-finals of the African Youth Games boxing competition in Luanda, Angola, on Thursday, December 18, 2025.

Kenya’s coach John Ochieng aka Chea told boxersworld.co.ke Omondi (pictured) put up a spirited show but the DR Congo pugilist overpowered the 15-year-old grade 8 pupil at Mbagathi Primary School.

Kenya’s other bronze medal has been won by 17-year-old grade 9 student at Central School in Kisumu Sonia Atieno, a member of Korumba Boxing Club in Nyalenda slums.

Atieno, the national novices and intermediate light-welterweight champion, lost to Tunisia’s Alma Zaara in the semi-finals.

Two other Kenyan boxers, female flyweight Ella Demesi and featherweight Felix Ochieng lost in their first fights. Demesi was stopped in round one by Tunisia’s Oueslatim Tashmin while Felix Ochieng was beaten on points by DR Congo’s Mambu Mambone.

“Generally all the Kenyan boxers have given a good account of themselves showing no stage fright,” said Ochieng.

▪️Kenya’s head coach John Ochieng aka Chea says he’s forced to operate like a night runner, bathing late at night and praying that no youth wakes up to do the same because the bathrooms have no doors and toilets are in deplorable stinking condition

18/12/2025

Clinton Omondi powered his way into the semi-finals to assure Kenya of a second boxing medal in the ongoing African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.

National novices and intermediate light-welterweight champion Sonia Atieno won Kenya’s first medal – a bronze – after losing to Tunisia’s Alma Zaara in the semi-finals on Wednesday, December 17, 2025.

In the quarter-finals, Omondi outpointed Namibia’s Kalenga Leevi at flyweight.

Kenya’s coach John Ochieng aka Chea told boxersworld.co.ke from Luanda that Omondi was initially supposed to fight in the minimumweight category but he had to move up to flyweight because the minimumweight is not in the schedule.

“Omondi fought very well, I’m sure if he maintains it he will qualify for the finals,” said Ochieng, the owner and head coach of Githurai Thailand Boxing Club in Nairobi.

Omondi will take on DR Congo’s Bofenda Mabela in today’s semi-finals.

Other Kenyan boxers in the competition have been eliminated. Flyweight Ella Demesi was stopped in the first round by Tunisia’s Oueslatim Tashmin and featherweight Felix Ochieng lost to DR Congo’s Mambu Mambone.

“It was a very close fight it could have gone either way,” said Ochieng on the defeat of Felix Ochieng.

Amid the ongoing Games and the impressive performance of the Kenyan boxers, a cocktail of problems surrounds the Games in Luanda, Angola’s capital city.

Kenya’s coach John Ochieng pulled no punches in talking about the problems they’re facing there.

“Like how we’ve been waiting for more than one hour the weigh-in has not started,” said a disappointed Ochieng.

That’s not all. The accommodation is pathetic. Bathrooms and toilets are degrading.

“We the coaches are sleeping in dormitories like school children, to make it even more shameful our dormitory is next to the players,” said Ochieng, and went on: “The toilets are in a bad state, stinking and bathrooms have no doors.”

In the face of these challenges, Ochieng jokingly said he is forced to operate like a night runner known for their nocturnal activities.

“I bath very late at night with some of the coaches praying that no player wakes up to do the same,” said Ochieng.

“We’re sharing bathrooms and toilets with the players. It’s so degrading no privacy for us. I just don’t know how Angola was approved to host the Games. The situation is further compounded by the hot weather here.”

Other participating nations have also voiced their concern on the deplorable conditions in the Luanda Games but this is Africa. Who cares? You either take it or leave it.

Kenya’s national novices and intermediate light-welterweight champion Sonia Atieno (pictured) settles for bronze following a points loss to a Tunisian boxer in the semi-finals of the Africa Youth Games in Angola, according to coach John Ochieng aka Chea.

This is a commendable performance for Sonia taking into account it’s her first appearance in an international competition.

▪️ The President of Zambia Boxing Federation Boniface Sokoni is keen to have Africa’s premier boxing tournament take place in the Southern African country for the second time

Zambia Boxing Federation President Boniface Sokoni has said they will bid to host 2026 African Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships in the capital city Lusaka.

Inspired by Zambia’s impressive performance in the just-concluded IBA Men’s World Championships in Dubai, Sokoni told boxersworld.co.ke he is confident the government will back the federation in this worthy venture.

Zambia was the top-placed African country at the IBA World Championships in Dubai with two bronze medals won by their boxing posterboy flyweight Patrick “Baddo” Chinyemba and African Games light-welterweight silver medallist Emmanuel Katema.

Chinyemba, the African Games champion and a quarter-finalist at the Paris Olympics, lost in the semi-finals to Russia’s Bair Batlaev and Katema went down to Kyrgyzstan’s Omar Livaza.

“Our success in Dubai proved Zambia is a strong boxing nation in Africa, and therefore deserve to host the Africa Championships in Lusaka,” said a confident Sokoni.

“We will engage the Ministry of Sports through the National Sports Council of Zambia, and then we get down to serious business of working on the bid document. We have good infrastructure, modern hotels and Zambians passionately love boxing.”

International Boxing Association (IBA) will support the 2026 Africa Championships with total prize money of $1 million for gold, silver and bronze medallists.

Zambia successfully hosted the 1968 Africa Championships in Lusaka.

Egypt emerged winners in the highly competitive tournament by the skin of their teeth with Kenya breathing behind their neck in second position and Uganda finishing third. It was the fourth edition of the continental championships.

The Egyptians, winners of the inaugural Africa Championships which they hosted in 1962 and the second one in Ghana in 1964, finished with 13 points tying with Kenya on the same number of points but regained the overall title by virtue of having one more gold than Kenya. Egypt took home the Nasser Trophy and Nkrumah Shield.

Egypt won three gold, one silver and two bronze medals followed by Kenya 2-1-5, Uganda 2-2-2 12 pts, Ghana 0-4-0 8 pts, Nigeria 0-2-3 7 pts, Niger 2-0-0 6 pts, Zambia 0-1-3 6 pts.

A total of 17 countries took part in the Africa Championships in Lusaka namely Egypt, Kenya, Uganda, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Congo Kinshasa now DRC, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Dahomey, Malagasy, Nigeria, Niger, Senegal, Tanzania, Sudan and hosts Zambia.

@ringmagazine

The five-division champion has announced his retirement from the sport at age 38 with a perfect record of 42-0.

‘Bud’ walks away as the only fighter to win a Ring title in four separate weight classes.

▪️The African governments must change their fence-sitting approach and team up with NFs to come up with a strategic plan to enable African boxers stamp their authority at the global stage

A total of 128 boxers from 34 African countries participated in IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships in Dubai.

At the end of the tournament, Africa collected three bronze medals by Mali’s middleweight Djibril Traore and two from Zambians, flyweight Patrick Chinyemba and light-welterweight Emmanuel Katema.

Compared to the past two World Championships in Belgrade and Tashkent where African boxers shot blanks, this time around they did better, ending an 8-year medal drought to win three bronze medals, having 12 quarter-finalists and 32 boxers in the round of 16.

Once again the elusive gold medal was out of reach with none of them making it to the finals. Africa last won gold in 2015 through Morocco’s Mohammed Rabii.

In a capsule summary, the African boxers were outwitted by boxers from Eastern Europe and Central Asia whose performance reinforced their technical superiority, tactical depth, ring generalship and precision in offence.

The undoing of most African boxers is technical deficiency occasioned by lack of constant exposure in top-notch competitions, proper strategic planning ahead of their bouts, poor preparations and lukewarm support from their respective governments.

It’s common knowledge majority of the African governments feel they have played their part by funding their national teams to major competitions. That’s not enough. They need to adopt a hands-on approach to make sure their boxers are adequately prepared and in conjunction with their federations come up with a strategic plan on boxing development.

Biased officiating has also been cited but honestly its like a drop in the ocean. To win a fight, a boxer has to take charge and dominate your opponent to put issues beyond doubt.

While the coaches play a big part in the game plan of each bout, the boxers too, once in the ring, have to use their commonsense and adopt a different approach once they realise their opponent has changed tact using another format than the one they expected. Tactical planning is also letting down most of the African boxers who prefer using a lot of power throwing punches in bunches irrespective of whether they’re landing on target.

There’s also need for senior R&Js to sit with the boxers during their training sessions to educate them on how the judges award points.

Otherwise the Eastern European countries and Central Asia with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan will continue dominating the World Championships now that boxing superpowers of Western Europe have shifted to World Boxing organisation.

African boxing leaders must also seek massive sponsorship to organise their own regular prize money tournaments and invite the top foreign boxers to take part. This will give their boxers the home ground advantage.

Since the formation of the African body in 1960, the only tournament they have organised regularly is the Africa Elite Championships whose first edition took place in Cairo, Egypt, in 1962. More tournaments should be introduced to keep the boxers busy, earn more money, keep them in shape as well as gaining more boxing knowledge.

Kudos to all the African boxers who took part in the World Championships in Dubai. They may not have won a fight or advanced further but the fact that they entered the ring to fight at that level is an achievement and proves they had the guts to trade leather with their foreign opponents taking into account boxing is not an easy sport.

Congrats to the Zambian boxers for your technical flair, matching your adversaries from Central Asia and Eastern Europe punch for punch and Djibril Traore who won a medal in his first participation in the World Championships.

Big up to the Kenyan soldier Robert Okaka aka Man Man Ngori who became the first Kenyan boxer in 43 years to qualify for the World Championships quarter-finals. His third round demolition of Tunisia’s Youssef Rafrafi and the intelligent boxing he displayed was a memorable spectacle.

Tanzania’s Issa Faki hongera ndugu for being the second boxer in your country to win a single fight in the World Championships and welterweight Bob Turyatemba’s first quarter-final qualification in 51 years by a Ugandan boxer in IBA’s signature event.

Cape Verde’s first ever Olympic medallist David Pina you gave a good account of yourself but the absence of your regular coach Bruno Carvalho somewhat affected your performance. You will prove yourself in the next World Championships.

Walk tall African boxers. You have the ability and power to rise to the top if your respective governments fully support you.

▪️Each National Federation will pick their team for the newly introduced World Cup to take place in various countries with finals set to August and September
▪️Winners will receive $5m, runners $3m and $2m for third-placed team
▪️Rules and regulations of the World Cup event to sent to NFs in 2026

International Boxing Association (IBA) has allocated $10m for the newly introduced Team World Cup Tournament in 2026, President Umar Kremlev has announced.

Kremlev told participants attending the Global Boxing Forum in Dubai each National Federation will select the team to represent them in this tournament, another big statement from IBA on its commitment to commercialise boxing.

“The winners will receive $5million, runners $3million and $2million for third team,” said Kremlev who has revolutionised boxing since being elected in 2020.

The rules and regulations will be sent to all the IBA-affiated National Federations in early 2026.

He however did not specify whether IBA will cater for travel and accommodation expenses of the participating teams.

The World Cup matches will be held in various countries with the finals set for August and September in venues to be disclosed later.

▪️The event is in honour of Kenya’s late international and Posta’s renowned heavyweight Harold Obunga

Kenya’s newly-capped international bantamweight Emmanuel “Manu” Chondo and sensational featherweight Chris Juma will provide the highlight during the Harold Obunga Memorial Boxing tournament at Kaloleni’s open air ground on Saturday, December 20, 2025.

Chondo made his international debut in October’s Africa Zone 3 Championships in Nairobi, putting up an impressive show against the winner DR Congo’s Kalongo Bakora in the quarter-finals. Representing his club Jericho, Chondo will take on Stanley Kimani of Kasarani Youth while Chris Juma of Kasarani Youth meets Jericho’s Frazier Opisa and his brother Benedict Juma battles Kariobangi’s Khabib Glen in the lightweight division.

Chris burst into the limelight in 2024 when he caused a major upset outpointing Africa Championships bronze medallist Shaffi Bakari of Police in the Kenya Open semi-finals at the Green Park Hall.

He represented Nairobi this year against Nakawa Combined in Kampala, losing to Africa Zone 3 champion Kassim Murungi who was fully stretched by the Kenyan boxer.

The tournament will be held under the auspices of Nairobi County Boxing Association whose assistant secretary Ronald Khainga is the coordinator of the one-day event.

Commenting on the Harold Obunga Memorial show, Khainga said they have not held the tournament for the last three years owing to various logistical factors.

“This year we’re parading the Nairobi Open champions and their runners-up in most of the bouts and then next year we invite Kampala Combined as we’ve been doing in the past,” said Khainga.

“The boxers taking part have been selected by the Nairobi coaches, it’s a collective effort.”

Saturday’s pairings are as follows:

Minimumweight 48Kgs

Stephen Alikia (Kibra Youth) vs Timothy Ishuga (Jericho)

Flyweight 51Kgs.

Maurice Kimani (Kasarani Youth) vs Jeff Ndungu (Thailand)

Bantamweight 54kgs

Emmanuel Chondo (Jericho) vs Stanley Kimani (Kasarani Youth)

Featherweight 57kgs

Chris Juma (Kasarani Youth) vs Frazier Opisa (Jericho)

Lightweight 60kgs

Benedict Juma
(Kasarani Youth) vs Khabib Glen (Kariobangi)

Light-welterweight 63.5Kgs

Joseph Andulusi (Kariobangi) vs Clement Babu (Jericho)

Welterweight 67Kgs

Samuel Ndiema (Kibra Olympic) vs Mohamed Gaucho (Kariobangi).

Light-middleweight 71Kgs

Kennedy Omollo (Kibra Olympic) vs Derrick Omondi (Kasarani Youth)

LADIES

Minimumweight 48Kgs

Grace Atieno (M-Fight 4 Life) vs Sakina Adie (M-Fight 4 life)

Juniors ladies
14 yrs-47-48Kgs

Miriam Mathile (Kibra Youth) vs Pauline Wanjiko (Mathare North)

14 yrs 42-44Kgs

Brigid Gathoni (Thailand) vs Rachael Mwihaki (Thailand)