▪️Yet again African boxing officials shamelessly washing their filthy stinking linen in public; they’re even sabotaging their own tournament  

*COMING SOON in boxersworld.co.ke*

Namibia’s Africa featherweight champion Tryagain “The Issue” Ndevelo has expressed his disappointment on WB-affiliated Africa Boxing’s directive barring their affiliates from taking part in IBA Africa tournaments.

As a section of African boxing leaders chew themselves to settle flimsy personal scores, World Boxing – now under celebrated boxer Gennadiy Golovkin – has never ssued any official directive stopping its affiliates from taking part in IBA tournaments.

“This is absolutely not within WBs constitution, it’s just Africans foolishly eating themselves up directly,” says an authoritative source.

*”Boxers need hope and more tournaments, not boycotts. If they truly* *cared about African boxing, they would strengthen tournaments, not sabotage them,” says Ndevelo*

*Which way Africa?*

boxersworld.co.ke

1. ▪️Surprise! Surprise! Instead of African boxing leaders speaking with one voice on behalf of their boxers, some self-serving officials have told their affiliates to keep off IBA Africa tournaments. Ring analysts have questioned their motive and whether they value boxers’ overall welfare
   ▪️Interestingly, World Boxing has not publicly stated their affiliates are not allowed to take part in IBA events. And I don’t think WB’s President Gennadiy Golovkin – an outstanding boxer of repute – can stoop this low to stop boxers taking part in IBA’s prize money tournaments because there is nothing to gain from such a selfish decision other than denying boxers their right of association and taking part in events of their choice especially in this era of liberalisation
   ▪️Positively, IBA and WB are now in very good working terms. There’s no enmity at all. So all that’s happening in Africa is just hot air from a few misinformed opportunists pushing their own selfish agenda after falling out with the Umar Kremlev-led organisation whose primary objective is improving the lifestyle of boxers worldwide.

May 18, 2026

Europe and Asia have always had their boxing calendar packed with major and local tournaments. In contrast, Africa has over the years lacked regular competitions with an exception of the Africa Championships and the African Games.

For instance this year, there’s no major tournament held so far. African boxers are therefore starved of ring time and big competitions.

Now comes the irony: one would expect the African boxing leaders to unite and introduce money-spinning tournaments and championship events but instead some self-serving and egocentric officials aligned to the World Boxing-affiliated African Boxing are now cautioning their affiliates from taking part in IBA Africa tournaments forgetting that most African countries are dual members of IBA and WB. Therefore one wonders which affiliates are they addressing?

Interestingly, World Boxing has not publicly stated their affiliates are not allowed to take part in IBA events. And I don’t think WB’s President Gennadiy Golovkin – an outstanding boxer of repute – can stoop this low to stop boxers taking part in IBA’s prize money tournaments because there is nothing to gain from such a selfish decision other than denying boxers their right of association and taking part in events of their choice especially in this era of liberalisation.

One loaded million dollar question remains: Whom are these officials speaking for and do they have the interests of boxers at heart?

When some boxing executives call for boxers to sit out of IBA-organised events, they are fundamentally not speaking for the boxers, the coaches or the sport’s development but are doing it for their own selfish interests more specifically fighting the IBA from whom some of them have benefitted a great deal not to mention stealing money sent by the IBA for boxers and development.

They have forgotten that through the IBA, the Africa Elite Championships has been transformed into a prize money event from 2022 in Maputo, Mozambique. Yet the African Championships started in 1962 but the leadership had not introduced any tangible reward until the IBA came to their rescue from 2022.

It’s on record top African boxers such as Morocco’s 2023 female world heavyweight champion Khadija Mardi, Zambia’s boxing posterboy Patrick Chinyemba, Mozambique star female boxers Alcinda Dos Santos and Rady Gramane have expressed their profound gratitude to the IBA on how the prize money has changed their lives.

Mardi bought a house in Casablanca, Chinyemba built a house in Lusaka, so did Alcinda also build a beautiful house saying unlike the past when they were rained on, now her mother and siblings are living well. Gramane has invested in shares through the IBA prize money.

Boxers hold the IBA in high esteem, and we’re wondering why boxers are not consulted before some rogue officials filled with vengeance and hatred make a ridiculous announcement on social media warning their so called affiliates on taking part in IBA Africa events.

Yet they know very well boxers are the main actors in boxing. The services of these bigots are not that important. We also know their boxing knowledge and interest is limited. You’ll hardly see them discussing boxers but their own issues. Little wonder the IBA kicked out some of them from leadership and eventually dissolved the ineffective AFBC much to the chagrin of those who were eating IBA’s money through the African body.

What these myopic and egocentric officials should know is that a boxer’s prime earning years and competitive window are short. Therefore attempting to deny access to international competitions – especially when alternative opportunities in Africa are scarce – indicates that these officials are speaking exclusively for themselves.

They are leveraging young athletic talent as pawns in high-level geopolitical and administrative turf wars, protecting their own personal authority rather than the livelihoods of the boxers.

While one cannot make a literal medical diagnosis without clinical evaluation, their behavior is certainly highly questionable and deeply detached from the core mission of sports administration. It takes a highly selfish mindset to actively suppress the athletic growth of the very people they are supposed to serve. To boxing fans and the broader African sports community, this behavior looks like an agonizing contradiction: officials who are completely out of touch with the reality of what it takes to build a champion. Instead of fostering growth and facilitating every possible chance to compete, they are actively stifling the sport.

When we focus on 2026, Africa has so far not staged any major international competition but in Europe and Asia several tournaments for elite, youth and junior boxers have taken place. Africa’s upcoming first international championships in 2026 is IBA Africa Zone 4 for Southern African countries taking place in Namibia from May 24-30. Word has it the same evil-hearted officials are trying to sabotage the Namibia show to embarrass the IBA, the same body that has changed the lives of top African boxers. How ungrateful can Africa be? Seriously this uncouth, primitive and shameless behaviour calls for urgent scrutiny. It’s a big embarrassment to the African continent.

Positively, IBA and WB are now in very good working terms. There’s no enmity at all. So all that’s happening in Africa is just hot air from a few misinformed opportunists pushing their own selfish agenda after falling out with the Umar Kremlev-led organisation whose primary objective is improving the lifestyle of boxers worldwide.

▪️Rather than focusing on securing sponsorships to develop boxing in their own NFs, organizing local tournaments, and facilitating travel for boxers to international stages, some leaders have adopted a retrogressive attitude to discourage or restrict their national federations from participating in International Boxing Association (IBA) tournaments.

May 17, 2026

In dimly lit gyms across Nairobi, Accra, Lusaka, Johannesburg and Kinshasa, young African pugilists sweat and bleed, dreaming of global glory.

Yet, just as these boxers hone their craft, their ambitions are suffocated by a tragic irony: the very administrators meant to champion their cause are holding them back.

Across the African continent, a disturbing trend has taken root within amateur boxing leadership. Some federation officials, many of whom have never laced up a pair of gloves or stepped foot in the ring, are enforcing strict directives that discourage member countries aligned to World Boxing-affiliated African Boxing from participating in IBA (International Boxing Association) tournaments.

The irony is palpable when looking at international boxing powerhouses. Countries like Uzbekistan, which topped the medal table at the Paris Olympics, freely send their elite boxers to IBA World Boxing Championships and WB tournaments. Uzbek fighters are provided world-class platforms to compete, earn substantial prize money, and hone their craft against the best in the world. These nations recognize a simple truth: in order to build champions, boxers must fight.

Yet, some misinformed and malicious African boxing executives continually choose to use their boxers as political pawns in broader governance and geopolitical conflicts within the sport. By urging AB members not to engage in IBA events or boycotting sanctioned IBA Africa activities, these officials want to directly deny their boxers vital competitive exposure. One wonders how these grown up men with hair in their armpits will benefit by inciting boxers to boycott IBA tournaments. Ironically, they’re not providing solutions or suggesting new tournaments they’re organising for their boxers. Their primary goal is to fight IBA, an established monied organisation which views them as mosquitoes attempting to fight an elephant.

This negative and retrogressive attitude comes at an immense cost to the continent. Boxing is often viewed as a way out of poverty for youth across Africa. However, because they are bound by the whims of bureaucratic administrators, upcoming talents face an agonizing reality:

*Lack of exposure:* African boxers are missing out on thousands of dollars in prize money and crucial international ranking points.

*Dormant talent:* Fighters languish for months or years without competitive bouts, stalling their professional development and physical conditioning.

*Loss of opportunity:* Promising careers peak early and fade into obscurity because boxers do not have the institutional backing to travel and fight.
Ultimately, the myopic focus on boardroom politics rather than athletic development has condemned African boxing to stagnation. Until the administrative focus shifts from political maneuvering to supporting the fighters in the ring, Africa’s true boxing potential will remain trapped in the shadow of its leaders’ egos whose selfish behaviour shows they don’t have boxing at heart other than daily sharing verbal diarrhea in their nondescript Whatsapp Forums.

This petty attitude has severely fractured and crippled the growth of boxing in Africa, leaving boxers stranded without competitive opportunities.
The situation has caused massive stagnation for the sport across the continent.

If top NFs care about the growth of their boxers, they should treat the boycott calls with the contempt they deserve. Interestingly, the IBA and WB are no longer throwing barbs at each other. It’s only happening in Africa because of a few idlers who are behaving like rejected lovers.

While these local officials push a “pro-Olympic” or politically aligned agenda, the reality is stark: African boxers lose out on crucial ring time, exposure, and financial incentives.

A major source of frustration among boxers is the pedigree of those enforcing these boycotts. Many of the administrators and executive leaders enforcing the bans are not former boxers themselves, leading to decisions driven by political maneuvering rather than an understanding of a fighter’s need to stay active. For a boxer in Africa, frequent, high-level competition is often their primary livelihood, and these ideological roadblocks cut off vital career pathways.

As pointed out earlier, the absurdity of the African boycott among themselves is magnified when observing global powerhouses like Uzbekistan, Russia and Kazakhstan. Despite being members of both international bodies, Uzbekistan’s boxing federation acts entirely in the best interests of their fighters. They freely send their athletes to dominate IBA tournaments—such as the IBA World Boxing Championships in Dubai—while simultaneously competing in other circuits. This pragmatic approach allows their boxers to gain experience, win global titles, and cement their status as an international superpower.

The internal dysfunction reached a boiling point when the IBA dissolved its continental confederations, seizing direct control of its operations to bypass mismanaged administrative branches. The administrative infighting and factionalism have continually sacrificed athlete development on the altar of boardroom politics. We call upon boxers and NFs to ignore these frustrated
and evil-hearted officials and participate in as many tournaments as possible for their own benefit and future taking into account these anti-IBA boxing dwarfs will not put food on their table and don’t even know the pain of a punch.

Rather than focusing on securing sponsorships to develop boxing in their own NFs, organizing local tournaments, and facilitating travel for boxers to international stages, these babies in boxing have adopted a retrogressive attitude.

What makes this reality so bitter for African fighters is the observation of how the rest of the world operates.

While a young Uzbekistani boxer is sharpening their skills on a global stage, an equally talented Kenyan, Nigerian, Zambian or Ugandan counterpart is often left shadowboxing in an under-resourced gym, told by their federation head that an IBA event is “off-limits.” Total balderdash!!

▪️Running from May 24–30 in Namibia, the highly anticipated tournament will operate under the official auspices of IBA Africa, headed by President General Ferdinand Luyoyo

May 17, 2026

Southern Africa’s top boxers are set to collide in a spectacular battle for regional supremacy at the IBA Africa Zone 4 Boxing Championships.

Running from May 24–30 in Namibia, the highly anticipated tournament will operate under the official auspices of IBA Africa, headed by President General Ferdinand Luyoyo.

The upcoming championships promise a fierce rivalry among the continent’s most formidable fighting nations among them defending champions Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Botswana and South Africa.

With Namibia’s formidable track record—boasting elite talents like African featherweight champion Tryagain Ndevelo—the host nation will be looking to dominate on home soil.

The May spectacle in Namibia is a cornerstone of the broader strategic vision for the sport on the continent. Held under the stewardship of IBA Africa, General Ferdinand Luyoyo’s administration has been heavily focused on revitalizing amateur boxing by standardizing tournament structures, prioritizing boxer welfare, and elevating the quality of officiating. The continental governing body is ensuring that Zone 4 acts as a vital developmental springboard for African pugilists aiming for global glory.

▪️Rising stars Ben Juma and his younger brother Chris Juma, Dennis Muthama, Joseph Moses and Ayub Waweru topple established internationals as Sombea Boxing Club emerge as the new powerhouse in the Rift Valley

May 17, 2026

Defending champions Kenya Police and traditional rivals KDF fought to a thrilling 22-point tie in the first leg of the 45th Kenya National Boxing League at the Old Town Hall in Nakuru on Saturday, May 16, 2026. The nail-biting finish sets the stage for a blockbuster showdown in the second leg of the league in Mombasa from July 9-11.

Police and KDF tied at 22 points to jointly hold the top spot followed by Sombea 10 pts, Nairobi County 9pts with Prisons and Nakuru ABC fourth with 7 pts each and fifth-placed Kasarani Youth 6 pts.

The fiercely contested three-day tournament delivered massive shocks to the system, proving that the gap between seasoned titans and hungry prospects is rapidly closing.

Africa silver medallist in 2022 Samuel Njau, Zone 3 minimumweight champion Silas Onyango and 2024 Africa Championships bronze medallist Aloice Vincent were beaten by the rising stars with Nakuru ABC southpaw James Tachia sparkling in the flyweight class as KDF’s self-proclaimed landlord of this weight category, Africa Military Games champion Kelvin “Young” Maina watched the proceedings at the packed Old Town Hall.

Nakuru roared with pride as their pugilists took the ring by storm. In a stunning victory, Nakuru’s southpaw Joseph Moses shocked IBA Africa Zone 3 minimumweight champion Silas Onyango of Police with a 4-3 points defeat. Nakuru’s flyweight southpaw James Tachia also sparkled, thrilling the partisan crowd with his dazzling footwork and crisp combinations outpointing KDF’s Emmanuel Chondo in the semis and Abdullah Juma of Police in the finals to add to the jigsaw puzzle in the flyweight berth with another notable boxer in the same weight class Diouf “Bashday” Muimi still undergoing military training in Eldoret.

Capitalizing on the electric home atmosphere, Sombea Boxing Club proved they are the new powerhouse in Nakuru’s fight scene, clinching a remarkable second place finish watched by BFK’s President Anthony Otieno aka Jamal who attended Friday’s semi-finals, and posed for a photo with Ayub Waweru flanked by the founder of Sombea Martin Luther.

Making a comeback to the local scene after almost two years out of action, KDF’s Samuel Njau lost to sensational Kasarani Youth Club lightweight Ben Juma who dominated Njau on the opening day before the referee stopped the fight in the third round after Njau sustained a cut above his right eye.

Fireworks are in the offing in the second leg in Mombasa with Njau going back to the gym to sharpen himself and Kenya Open champion Emmanuel Omollo in the mix after staying out of the Nakuru show owing to personal commitments. Who will laugh last between Samuel Njau, Ben Juma and Emmanuel Omollo in Mombasa? This one is a cracker!

Sombea’s pressure fighter Ayub Waweru squeezed a 3-2 points win over Prisons’ Aloice Vincent in an action-packed light-welterweight fight which could have gone either way. A heavy right thundered on Waweru face in the second round for an eight count by Star-3 R&J Samuel Obiero. Much as Aloice tried to box the aggressive Sombea boxer, at times he threw caution to the wind to engage him in a toe-to-toe exchange. The two have a score to settle in the second leg of the league in Mombasa.

Silas Onyango was outboxed by the 21-year-old Nakuru’s Joseph Moses, showing once again he has yet to master tackling a southpaw opponent. The unemployed Moses started boxing in 2017 at the Nakuru Amateur Boxing Club under coach Lemid Thiong’o, and hopes through boxing he will eventually land a job.

Kenya Open bantamweight champion Dennis Muthama of KDF maintained his dominance, first outpointing Police’s experienced international Shaffi Bakari and then defeated Prisons’ promising southpaw Chris Musyoka who was unlucky with a deep right eyebrow gash following a head-on collision with Muthama, losing via RSC abandonment in the second round. With blood oozing from the cut, it was not easy for Musyoka to concentrate on the fight but he has enough time to recover. Judging from his impressive show, Muthama cannot sit pretty for now. There’s still work to be done here.

IBA Africa Zone 3 featherweight silver medallist Mwinyi Kombo aka The Giant Killer once again underperformed against the lanky Kasarani Youth Kenya Open featherweight champion Chris Juma who subjected Kombo to three standing counts enroute to his second victory over the Police boxer having defeated Kombo in April’s Kenya Open finals at Kaloleni Social Hall. So far it’s 2-1 for Chris over his big rival Kombo who beat him in the 2024 Kenya Open finals.

Africa light-middleweight champion Boniface “The Hammer” Mogunde of Police maintained his eight-year unbeaten run locally, easily seeing off Sombea’s Maxwell Michael via second round RSC abandonment while African Games champion Edwin Okong’o proved he’s still the king of the middleweights with an impressive 5-0 win over Kibra Olympic’s Ken Omollo.

IBA World Championships quarter-finalist Robert Okaka aka Man Ngori is still ruling the light-heavyweight class with an iron fist, ruthlessly stopping George Cosby of Police who received three counts of eight before the referee waved if off in the first round.

At cruiserweight, KDF’s Chris Ochanda put up a refined show to beat Kenya Open champion Humphrey Ochieng aka Jakababa 5-0 to send a subtle message to the cop that he’s in charge of this weight class. After losing five times to Robert Okaka, Jakababa moved to cruiserweight but it seems his new home is still full of thorns.

The women’s bouts were equally mesmerizing. Kenya’s boxing glamour girls Veronica Mbithe demonstrated brilliant form, while the explosive Friza Asiko maintained her domination, stopping Sombea’s Winnie Shisiali in the first round with sheer class and power. Mbithe had no time to waste with Nairobi’s Joyce Nyaga whom she stopped in one minute 42 seconds of the first round flyweight bout.

Good news to the female boxers. Word has it that from the second leg of the league, their points will be counted for the overall standings of their teams. This is a positive move which will definitely encourage clubs to bring on board more women boxers in their teams to feature in Africa’s oldest boxing league. See you in Kenya’s port city of Mombasa for another exciting non-stop action.

▪️Defending champions Police and KDF each have eight boxers in the finals of the 2026 boxing league opener but the women’s participation is merely an exhibition act because their points are not counted as it happens in the Kenya Open. Why?

May 16, 2026

The exclusion of women’s bouts from overall league points scoring is a longstanding contentious issue in the Kenya National Boxing League which needs to be sorted out in the 2026 season.

For instance, in the first leg of the 2026 league opener in Nakuru, defending champions Police and KDF have eight boxers each in the final but the two women in KDF, Veronica Mbithe and Friza Asiko, will not score points for their team because women’s participation in the league is still a merely exhibition act yet at the IBA Africa Zone 3 Championships in 2025, Mbithe and Asiko won gold medals which were part of Kenya’s overall medals rally.

So, why is this not happening in the Kenya National Boxing League?

In addition to KDF, teams from Nairobi, Prisons and Sombea have women taking part in the finals but their participation is just a formality, or flower girls if you like.

Despite female pugilists proving their mettle and forming an integral part of the clubs, this policy undermines the true depth of teams like KDF by rendering their women’s victories meaningless for the championship title.

The ongoing rivalry between KDF and the Police highlights the unfairness of the current system.

Interestingly, women’s points are counted in the National Kenya Open Championships .

For instance in the 2025 Kenya Open, Police emerged overall winners with 24 points closely followed by KDF 23, Prisons 11, Nairobi and Siaya jointly fourth with 9, Kibra 6, Kisumu 4, Kongowea and Nakuru 2 each.

Police won the men’s title on 21pts, KDF 16, Prisons 11, Nairobi 7, Siaya and Kibra 3 each, Kisumu, Kongowea and Nakuru 2 each.

In women’s category, KDF topped with 7 points, Siaya 6, Police and Kibra 3 each, Kisumu, Nairobi and Meru 2 each.

When you look at the overall points tally, the women’s points were included. So why the discrimination in the male-dominated national league?

While both teams field elite female fighters, the women’s category does not contribute to the overall national league points that determine the ultimate club champion.

Female boxers put in the same gruelling hours of training, make significant sacrifices, and proudly represent their respective teams in the ring. However, by strictly assigning league points to the men’s categories, the Boxing Federation of Kenya essentially treats women’s participation as an exhibition rather than a vital component of the sport.

This discrimination strips women of the tangible recognition they deserve. It tells these boxers that while they are welcome to compete, their achievements are secondary to the men’s divisions.

The consensus among critics, coaches, analysts and the boxers themselves is that women are part and parcel of the league and deserve equal weight in scoring. BFK have no choice but to overhaul the scoring system by fully integrating women into the points tally to ensure female boxers earn the same institutional backing as their male counterparts.

For the sport to grow inclusively in Kenya, the federation will need to evaluate a framework that aggregates all points, regardless of gender, accurately reflecting a club’s total competitive prowess.

Gender issue aside, three bouts are among the highlights in the finals on Saturday, May 16. The bantamweight bout featuring Kenya Open champion Dennis Muthama of KDF vs Prisons’ Chris Musyoka will be a thriller; si will the featherweight fight in which Kenya Open champion Chris Juma of Kasarani Youth will face IBA Africa Zone 3 silver medallist Mwinyi Kombo for the third time having defeated Kombo in the Kenya Open finals. It’s now 2-1 for Chris after his loss to Kombo in the 2024 Kenya Open finals.

Sparks will fly in the light-welterweight division pitting Prisons’ 2024 Africa Championships bronze medalist Aloice Vincent vs Sombea’s pressure fighter Ayub Waweru.

▪️ Rising star Ben Juma dismantles Africa silver medallist Samuel Njau with Africa champion Boniface Mogunde surviving second round eight count to defeat Mbotela boy Alvin Oduor aka Liwalo Liwe. It’s fire! for fire! in NaxVegas

▪️Mwinyi Kombo aka Giant Killer, Shaffi Bakari, Chris Juma and Dennis Muthama punch their way to today’s explosive semi-finals 

May 15, 2026

The 45th Kenya National Boxing League exploded into action at Nakuru Old Town Hall with 92 boxers from 17 clubs displaying superb boxing in a bid to impress the selectors the ahead of the Gabon IBA Africa Zone 3 Championships in June..

In what promises to be a fierce 2026 league season, Kasarani Youth rising star Ben Juma made a massive statement of intent, dethroning 2022 Africa silver medallist Samuel Njau, while 2025 Zone 3 gold and silver medallists, Boniface Mogunde and Alvin Oduor, had Nakuru’s packed Old Town Hall roaring in appreciation of their spirited exchange of punches.

Gritty Mogunde survived a second round eight count to mount a late rally in the third round to decision KDF soldier Alvin Oduor 4-1.

Mogunde had an edge in the first and third rounds with Alvin dictating the pace in the second round in which he pierced through Mogunde’s defence to uncork speedy combinations which rocked the normally quiet Police boxer.

“I gave the bout my all I’m good with the results,

On to the next leg of the league in Mombasa,” said Alvin who has now lost to Mogunde twice. The first time was in the 2025 IBA Africa Zone 3 finals in which Mogunde outpointed the KDF boxer to win the gold and Alvin silver in Nairobi.

Mogunde has remained unbeaten locally for eight years but if he doesn’t watch out, the Mbotela Estate-bred Alvin is the boxer who will end his unbeaten run.

In the lightweight bout, Ben Juma had the better of the exchanges against Samuel Njau, time and again shaking him with rapid combinations.

The rusty Njau would have been safer with long range missiles and dancing his way out of danger but he chose to exchange punches at close quarters much to the delight of the 19-year-old Ben Juma who was the aggressor always having Njau on his backfoot with sporadic raids in Njau’s territory.

A big left exploded on Njau’s cheeks in the first round but referee Nelson Otieno ruled it a foul punch, warning Ben for butting.

The Kasarani Youth boxer-puncher increased his onslaught in the second round, resulting in Njau receiving an eight count. Njau’s punches lacked the firepower to trouble Ben Juma.

Like a true sportsman that he’s always is Njau humbly accepted defeat.

“Juma was the better boxer today, a lot of rust in me needs more work, more sparring and lots of competition,” Njau told boxersworld.co.ke in an interview but made it clear at his peak, he will silence Ben Juma.

“Juma will not defeat me once I’m in top shape, my timing was not sharp and my calculations not right but he’s a promising boxer. I have moved to lightweight because I’m more comfortable here and for the Olympics there’s no feather,” said Njau who made a comeback to boxing after being inactive for almost two years. The last time he fought locally was in a league match in Mombasa in 2024.

He won but he didn’t proceed to the final due to a cut. The cut sustained against Juma was the second one for Njau.

While Ben Juma was proud defeating an established boxer, he praised Njau for his resilience, singling him as the roughest and best of all the boxers he has fought.

“I was expecting war from Samuel Njau and I got it, I must say it was such a great experience fighting him, I learnt a lot,” Ben Juma told boxersworld.co.ke.

He went on:”I’m happy I won against Njau but I wish Kenya Open champion Emmanuel Omollo was here, I really wanted to meet him to show him I’m the true Open champion, I hope he will be in Mombasa for the second leg.” Omollo is not in Nakuru. He’s understood to be sorting out personal issues.

For other regulars, it was easy going, sailing to the semis without breaking a sweat.

African Games middleweight champion Edwin Okong’o of KDF stopped Nairobi’s Bradley Ochieng in the first round while Zone 3 silver medallist, cruiserweight Chris Ochanda scored the shortest victory of the day needing only 15 seconds to stop Victor Okeke from Mombasa’s Kongowea.

Africa Championships bronze medallist, Prisons’ Aloice Vincent stopped Nakuru’s Nelson Musa in the first round of the light-welterweight class with hard body shots which had the Nakuru boxer gasping for breath.

There’s tough competition in the bantamweight bout with Kenya Open champion Dennis Muthama, Shaffi Bakari and Chris Musyoka all in the semis. Musyoka eliminated Shaffi in the Kenya Open but lost to Muthama in the finals. Anything can happen here.

Kenya Open featherweight champion Chris Juma, younger brother to Ben Juma, and Africa Zone 3 silver medallist Mwinyi Kombo aka Giant Killer all cruised to the semis, and are likely to clash again in the finals like it happened in the Kenya Open with Chris outpointing Kombo.

The three-day event has attracted 94 boxers – 82 men and 12 women – from 17 clubs and ends with the finals on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

◾ A cracker of a fight between Ben Juma and KDF’s star international boxer Sam Njau is in the offing

Africa light-middleweight champ Boniface “The Hammer” Mogunde is back with vengeance. He battles KDF’s Alvin Oduor. What a fight!!

Stylish Njau has moved up to lightweight, adding more spice in this berth which is now the major focus of attention in Kenya boxing.

A silver medallist at the 2022 Africa Elite Championships and IBA Africa Zone 3 champion in DR Congo, Njau took a boxing break almost mid 2024 and is returning not just to participate but to make a big statement of intent.

Against the Kenya Open runners-up, Ben Juma, Njau definitely has his work cut out battling the shrewd Kasarani Youth Club boxer-puncher.

This is the Fight of the Night expected to be full of thrills and spills, keeping Nakuru boxing-mad fans on the edge of their seats as BFK celebrate the 45th year of the oldest boxing league in Africa.

boxersworld.co.ke

▪️Police-KDF rivalry ignites tonight with the soldiers eager to take an early lead against the resilient cops who are the defending champions

May 14, 2026

The opening leg of the 2026 Kenya National Boxing League – the oldest boxing league in Africa – is set for a dramatic, rain-induced change of scenery, but officials assure that the anticipated action inside the ring remains hotter than ever.

Scheduled to run from Thursday, May 14–16, 2026, the premier boxing event has been forced to shift from the outdoor Nyayo Gardens to the indoor Old Town Hall in Nakuru City.

The decision was necessitated by the ongoing heavy rains in Kenya, ensuring the safety of the pugilists and the continuity of the competition.

“Due to weather predictions, we have moved the venue from Nyayo Gardens to the Old Town Hall to ensure the tournament proceeds without disruption,” Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) Competition Secretary John Waweru aka Mr Rulebook told boxersworld.co.ke, BFK’s partner in progress.

While the venue offers shelter from the storm outside, it sets the stage for a “rainfall of punches” inside, as the fierce rivalry between the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the Kenya Police Service—fondly known as Chafua Chafua—explodes once more.

The season opener comes just over a month after KDF was crowned the 2026 National Open Boxing Champions, edging out their bitter rivals, the Kenya Police, by a single point. KDF accumulated 23 points against Police’s 22, setting up an explosive showdown in Nakuru where both teams are looking to establish early dominance as BFK this year celebrate the oldest boxing league in Africa at 45 years.

Waweru said this opening leg is crucial for selecting probables for the upcoming IBA Africa Zone 3 Championships in Gabon’s capital city Libreville in June.

Headlining the three-day packed action is KDF’s IBA World Championships light-heavyweight quarter-finalist Robert Okaka aka Man Ngori whose traditional rival, the evergreen Humphrey Ochieng aka Jakababa of Police, has found a new home at cruiserweight where he clinched the Kenya Open title.

In women’s bouts, IBA Africa Zone 3 gold medallist and National Kenya Open flyweight champion, Veronica Mbithe aka Pioneer, will renew her rivalry with Lencer Akinyi of Boxgirls, the latter eager to avenge her points defeat to Mbithe in the Kenya Open finals.

Flyweight landlord Kelvin Maina is back and looks unchallenged while Juma brothers, featherweight Chris and lightweight Ben are the boxers to beat in their respective weight categories with Police newly-crowned national open lightweight champion, southpaw Emmanuel Omollo, all set to maintain his ascendancy.

Africa light-middleweight champion Boniface Mogunde is likely to return to action in Nakuru to renew his rivalry with KDF’s omena-charged Alvin Oduor aka Liwalo Liwe. Mogunde defeated Oduor in the finals of the 2025 IBA Africa Zone 3 Championships in Nairobi.

▪️He said the changes were made to accommodate the regional calendar ahead of the Commonwealth Games and Africa Elite Championships

May 13, 2026

The IBA Africa has rescheduled key regional tournaments, with Zone 4 moving to May 24-30 in Namibia and Zone 3 to June 1-7 in Gabon.

Announcing the new dates, the Interim President of IBA Africa, General Ferdinand Ilunga Luyoyo, said the championships have officially been moved forward to accommodate the regional calendar.

“Our work has started with the zonal events to be used as a build-up for Commonwealth Games and Africa Elite Championships,” said General Luyoyo who hinted the Africa Elite Championships might take place after the Commonwealth Games.

“We’re working quietly laying the groundwork avoiding unnecessary noise. Whatever we’re doing is in line with the objectives of our parent body IBA under President Kremlev,” said the Kinshasa-based Luyoyo.

The IBA Africa Zone 3 member countries are DR Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Ethiopia, Somalia, Gabon,Uganda, Rwanda, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic.

DR Congo are the Africa Zone 3 defending champions. They have won the event three times in a row, the latest in 2025 in Nairobi.

Eight countries have confirmed participation for Zone 4 Championships.

Luyoyo said IBA Africa will hold certification courses for IBA Star 1 coaches and IBA Star 1 and 2 R&Js in Namibia.

The following eight countries have confirmed participation:

1. Namibia 🇳🇦 13 men and 8 women

2. Malawi 🇲🇼 3 men and 2 women, 1 manager and 1 coach

3. Lesotho 🇱🇸 8 men and 4 women, executive rep, 1 manager, and 3 coaches

4. Zambia 🇿🇲 9 men and 8 women

5. Seychelles 🇸🇨 4 men, and 2 coaches

6. Comoros 🇰🇲 waiting for their team list

7. Eswatini 🇸🇿 waiting for their list

8. SANABO 🇿🇦 waiting for their list

Defending champions Mozambique is among the six countries yet to confirm participation. Here they are:

1. Botswana 🇧🇼

2. Madagascar 🇲🇬

3. Mauritius 🇲🇺

4. Mozambique 🇲🇿

5. Angola 🇦🇴

6. Zimbabwe

Mozambique won the five-nation 2025 Zone 4 Championships in Maputo with 10 gold, five silver and three bronze medals. Eswatini placed second 5-3-8 followed by Botswana 2-2-3, Lesotho 2-1-5 and wooden spoonists Seychelles 1-1-0.

Glamour girls Alcinda Dos Santos and Rady Gramane and Armando Sigauque were among the international boxers who won the 10 gold medals.

Alcinda defeated Eswatini’s Lindelwa Fakundze at light-middleweight in the finals, middleweight Gramane beat compatriot Rabia Pedro and Sigauque outpointed Lesotho’s Toka Litabe..

Mozambique therefore enters the ring with a massive target on their back, having cemented their status as a regional powerhouse. However, Namibia—fueled by a passionate home crowd and a desire to dominate on home soil—promises to turn the ring into a fortress.

With local pride on the line and elite bragging rights at stake, this tournament is set to be a war for regional supremacy.