THREE TUNISIAN FEMALE BOXERS HAVE NO OFFICIAL OPPONENTS

▪️ Now organisers want them face boxers from a Guinean club

▪️ Tunisian national coach Montassar Ghanouni laments on shoddy organisation

Tunisian world junior bronze medallist Molka Khelifi and her two compatriots have no official opponents in the Africa Youth Boxing Championships which started on Tuesday, May 20, in Conakry, Guinea.

Molka, a quarter finalist in last year’s World Youth Championships in Montenegro, is entered in the lightweight division.Her other teammates without official opponents are flyweight Chama Khorchfi and welterweight Alaa Haddaji.

In a desperate bid to save face, the organisers are understood to have handpicked their opponents from a local club.

“They told me that they found them opponents from one club in Conakry without registration,” Tunisia’s national coach Montassar Ghanouni told boxersworld.co.ke

A furious Ghanouni has unleashed a two-fisted barrage on the Africa Boxing Confederation (AFBC) describing the tournament as a big embarrassment to Africa boxing.

“It’s really shameful and sad after preparing our boxers for this continental event, and having wasted so much money to buy tickets to Guinea, we find ourselves in the draw without opponents for our three female boxers,” said Ghanouni.

He went on: “We invested in these young boxers so that they can experience competitive boxing at this level before moving on to the senior category.

“But with this poor management of the current AFBC Board everything is lost. The future of African boxing is not at all clear under these circumstances and for that reason we no longer have hope on a world scale unless there’s a revolution and total overhaul on the way we manage boxing in Africa.”

If the three Tunisian boxers eventually face the three Guinean club boxers they will just be involved in friendly contests because the Guinean club boxers are not officially registered for the event and were not in the draws.

Tunisia is represented by five boys and four girls in the low-key nine-nation tournament.

“Our female minimumweight Lina Dhawadi is with two other boxers,” said Ghanouni.

Interestingly the organisers are so embarrassed on the clumsy manner they have handled the event that so far they have not released the drawsheet, list of the participating countries and the number of boxers per country yet this is vital information which should be shared to the participants and the media.

The AFBC ship is sinking as passengers scream for dear life. Soon some will start jumping out into the deep sea. Things are elephant.

MAYDAY! MAYDAY! MAYDAY!

▪️Captain Eyassu will have to jump out of the sinking ship with his jacket to save his life

▪️ Most of the boxers in Guinea are already in the medal bracket without throwing a punch

Captain Eyassu may not have sounded the alarm but it’s obvious the ship is sinking as passengers have already started screaming for emergency support.

The waves are so strong that it will be a miracle if the ship survives.

International Boxing Association (IBA) is the only saviour with their sophisticated equipment but the writing is already on the wall.

What a farce in Guinea! That only 46 boxers – 37 men and 9 women – from nine countries out of the 54-members of AFBC are taking part in the Africa Youth Boxing Championships in Guinea is an open vote of no-confidence in the beleaguered Africa Boxing Confederation (AFBC) office headed by Ethiopian businessman Eyassu Berhanu.

In fact if Eyassu is wise he should jump out of the sinking ship into the deep sea with his jacket to save his dear life and of course embarrassment.

Africa has spoken in Guinea, and the die is cast.

Even the ongoing R&J course in Guinea, useful as it is, will probably not pass muster given the few participants in the Africa Youth Championships. Whether the IBA will certify the course remains to be seen.

Normally, the R&Js should referee a minimum of five bouts, and judges 10 in order to be assessed.

Interestingly, AFBC has not released the official list of participating countries and the number of boxers per country as it’s usually the case in any international tournament. The info I have shared on the number of participants is on social media.

AFBC R&J Committee chairman Godavarisingh Rajiv Rajcoomar is usually very cooperative on releasing such info but this time around Raj, as we call him, is strangely not responding to messages or answering calls to share vital stats.

Are they ashamed and embarrassed of the spoonful number of participants in Guinea? Maybe or maybe not. It’s anybody’s guess.

The only official info shared is the opening bouts today from 6pm East African time.

Fourteen male boxers from eight countries will be in action in the 54kg, 63.5kg, 67kg and 75 kg. The eight countries are Ethiopia, Guinea, Ghana, South Africa, Libya, Tunisia, Seychelles and Uganda.

The organisers have however not stated whether today’s bouts are quarter-finals, semi-finals or finals.

Given the low entry, it’s likely most of the boxers in Guinea are already in the medal bracket.

With only nine female boxers, it will be unprocedural if they receive medals without throwing a punch.

IBA rules state a boxer cannot receive a medal if he/she has not fought in at least one bout.

That’s the shameful scenario in Guinea that even my friend Raj is not ready to discuss it.

In contrast, the ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships currently ongoing in Colombo, Sri Lanka, is professionally managed.

Their website has daily updates on the tournament and Livestream to boot. They also have instagram updates.

The Asian Youth Boxing Championships has attracted 232 boxers from 23 countries.

Kassim Ouma is one of Uganda’s finest boxers who is well remembered for his meteoric rise from a child soldier to become the International Boxing Federation (IBF) world junior middleweight champion.

Ouma – with his classmates – was abducted at the age of six in 1984 finding himself in unfamiliar territory of being a kadogo in Yoweri Museveni’s rebel army but he later escaped to the USA where he fought his way to the top clinching the IBF world junior middleweight title.

Now Ouma’s son, Henry Kasujja, is aiming to follow in his father’s footsteps despite being a late starter in pro boxing.

The 32-year-old Kasujja (11-1-1, 4 KOs) battles Malawis 38-year-old Charles Misanjo (32-25-1, 18 KOs) in the main fight of May 24 card in Nairobi promoted by US-based Ugandan businessman in Steve Sembuya who has relocated to Kenya to avoid repressive sports laws in Uganda he felt were meant to frustrate promoters.

Kasujja, a father of five boys and one girl, worked as a butcher at a slaughter house on the outskirts of Kampala to feed his family.

“I didn’t have time to fight in amateur boxing because I was busy working to put food on the table for my family,” recalls Kasujja who turned pro in 2022 with no amateur boxing experience.

In his pro debut, Kasujja lost to compatriot and newly-crowned ABU super-middleweight champion Shadiri Bwogi (9-0-0).

That’s Kasujja’s only loss so far in the bare-chested game. Among his victims so far include the Tanzania’s popular pro boxer Cosmas Cheka.

If Kasujja thought his life would change overnight financially after turning pro, he has been disappointed.

“I’m still struggling, life is not easy, the money I’m earning is not enough yet in Africa I’m ranked number three,” Kasujja told boxersworld.co.ke.

“Pro boxing is not easy, you’re on your own waking up early in the morning for roadwork.

“In the ring the punches are painful, the punches are the same as being hit by a stone, pro boxing is like death one has to be extra-careful.”

Imagewise, Kasujja is grateful to Steve Sembuya’s 12 Sports Rounds Promotion.

“Through Sembuya’s efforts I’m now known more than before ”

Sembuya said his business model is based on first building a sound foundation for his boxers before fighting for big money.

“Initially make sure boxers in my stable have a good record to enable them get bigger fights, and they know it, Kasujja now has two and a half stars he’s doing well,” said Sembuya.

Kasujja was inspired by the illuminating performance of his dad Kassim Ouma to turn professional.

“I’m going to be a world champion like my father, I used to train with him,” said Kasujja.

How

His dad is closely monitoring his son from Germany where he is based.

“My son will KO the Malawian in Nairobi, he’s very strong,” said Ouma in a phone interview.

Kasujja has warned Malawi’s Misanjo to be prepared for a painful night.

“If he’s not careful he will fall in the first round, I’ll damage his ribs,” said a bullish Kasujja.

“I’ve killed many cows working in the slaughterhouse in Kampala, so my heart is hardened.”

Ghana will be represented by three boxers in the Africa Youth Boxing Championships in Conakry, Guinea.

Dornu’s Corner reported the three boxers carrying Ghana’s flag in the Africa Youth event are flyweight Mathias Ashitey, light-middleweight Desmond Pappoe and light-flyweight George Dawuona.

They were all part of the six-member Black Rockets team at the IBA World Youth Championships in Montenegro last year

Authoritative sources from Conakry told boxersworld.co.ke the tournament, due to have started on May 16, is likely to be attended by a spoonful of participants.

“We held a brief meeting yesterday, it’s likely even the R&Js courses might be affected because of few participants,” said the source.

The tournament is being held under the auspices of the IBA-recognised African Boxing Confederation (AFBC) led by Ethiopian businessman Eyassu Berhanu.

There’s been scant information so far on the countries which have confirmed participation.

The tournament comes at a time when there is a big rift in Africa’s amateur boxing now being led by two presidents, Eyassu Berhanu and DR Congo’s General Ferdinand Ilunga Luyoyo whose group passed a vote of no confidence in Berhanu’s office during the 2024 Africa Championships in Kinshasa, DR Congo. Luyoyo’s faction accused Berhanu’s office of high handedness and incompetence, accusations vehemently denied by Berhanu’s regime.

Ring analysts attribute the low attendance in Guinea to the big rift in Africa boxing with countries aligned to the Luyoyo faction unlikely to be in Guinea.

Leadership squabbles have for a long time been the bane of Africa’s boxing progress with the warring factions showing more appetite on positions instead of focusing on the welfare of the boxers.

It is hoped that the International Boxing Association will eventually find a lasting solution to the time-wasting squabbles which have contributed a great deal to the stagnation of boxing in Africa.

As the Africans continue stabbing each other, continents such as Europe, Asia and the Americas have made great strides in boxing development with a variety of competitions in their calendar of events.

The battle for supremacy in the Kenya National Boxing League got off to a low-key start in the first leg in Busia from May 15-17.

In the absence of their bitter rivals defending champions KDF, Police dominated the Busia show taking an early lead with 24 points followed by Nairobi 14 points and Nakuru County third with 10.

The highlight of the three-day league was the flyweight final between the Kenya Open champion Diouf “Bashday” Muimi and Nairobi County’s Emmanuel “Manu” Chondo with the promising Muimi having the last laugh outpointing Chondo 3-0.

Nairobi’s coach John Ochieng aka Chair was however not impressed with the officiating in the flyweight final and featherweight semi-final between his boxer Chris Juma and Africa bronze medallist Shaffi Bakari.

“As far as I’m concerned Manu and Chris won their fights, even Shaffi knows it he lost,” said Ochieng.

“It’s so demoralising for us boxers to see the judges giving victory to a boxer who didn’t deserve it, I beat Shaffi 3-0,” said Chris Juma.

Reacting to coach Ochieng’s views on his flyweight final against Chondo, Muimi said: “I’m surprised they are complaining again, I don’t know what to say, I beat Manu 3-0, let them just accept the result fairly. I said Manu will not beat me again.”

It’s time BFK used the big stick on some rogue judges tarnishing their image with questionable decisions. Let’s see professionalism maintained in the remaining league matches by the well trained R&Js.

The first leg of the league featured 49 boxers – 41 men and eight women.

Defending champions KDF, Prisons, Kibra and Mombasa County were some of the regulars missing in action.

Perhaps it’ll be more fitting to start the league at the end of July after the government’s financial year starts in June.

With the first leg over, action moves to Kenya’s port city of Mombasa for the second leg of the league from July 17-19 in which the winners and losers in the finals will receive prize money courtesy of Alliance Francaise.

We are proud to welcome Marie Joelle Mwika, a talented Congolese female light heavyweight boxer, to the Rudy’s Sports Firm based in Kinshasa.

Marie Joelle brings with her a wealth of amateur experience, having competed in numerous African championships and earned a reputation for her power, discipline, and heart inside the ring. Now, she’s ready to take the next step in her journey — the professional stage.

We are thrilled to be guiding her transition into the pro ranks and are actively working towards securing her professional debut before the end of 2025.

Join us in supporting Marie Joelle as she embarks on this exciting new chapter. The future of women’s boxing in Africa continues to rise — and Marie Joelle is ready to lead the charge.

Usiano
@topfans

An ambitious project to revitalise boxing in Kenya’s port city of Mombasa was launched today, May 16, 2025, at the Alliance Francaise premises.

In that what is viewed as a game changer in Mombasa boxing, the French Embassy has teamed up with Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) and its affiliate, Mombasa County Boxing Association, to breathe a new life to boxing at the Coast through the Ndondi Mashinani initiative.

At the heart of it all in this project bankrolled by the French Embassy is to enable Mombasa County churn out more more champions like it has done in the past. Among some of the high calibre notable boxers produced by Mombasa County includes internationals such as John Opiyo, Yunis Seby, Boniface Kahoro, Stephen “Kimbo” Matiani, Saulo Owiso and his younger brother Charles Owiso, Lemmy “Cobra” Katibi, Ashira Oure, Wandera “Power” Oyolo, Martin “Nyoka” Ojuang, Black Moses Mathenge, Rayton “Boom Boom” Okwiri, Shaffi Bakari to mention but a few.

Addressing a pressing conference, the minister in charge of sports in Mombasa County, Kenneth Ambani lauded the French Embassy through the Alliance Francaise for supporting the growth of boxing in Mombasa.

“We thank the French Embassy for this timely gesture, we will now work with the Mombasa County Boxing Association to bring on board more sponsors to sunstain this project,” said the Ambani.

“We have allocated the Changamwe Community Hall to Mombasa County Boxing Association to make sure our boxers train regularly in a decent atmosphere.

“Once we specific funding for sports in the county we will even be able to have at least five coaches in our payroll, there’s a bill being tabled to this effect.”

The launch was also attended by the Head of Cooperation and Cultural Affairs at the Embassy or France, Denis Sainte-Marie, the brains behind the project Director of Alliance Francaise Lucas Malcor and Mombasa County Boxing Association secretary general Chrispine Onyango who is also the second Vice-President of Boxing Federation of Kenya.

Malcor and Onyango have jointly worked tirelessly ensure everything works to clockwork precision.

“The objective is the promotion of boxing for all,” said Malcor, adding: “Following the undeniable success of the Paris Olympic Games 2024, Ndondi Mashinani will provide the opportunity to continue to uphold the values of Olympism: respect, tolerance and perseverance.”

Malcor said they have spent $19,355 (Ksh 2.5 million) for the purchase of equipment which includes two rings, one ring at the Changamwe Community Hall and a smaller one to be used in popularising boxing in schools to attract more girls to take up the sport.

Onyango said several events have been lined up from mid June starting with a one-week national certification course for coaches, referees and judges to be sponsored by Alliance Francaise and has attracted 90 participants including 30 women and the official opening of Changamwe Community Hall on June 21. This important function will be pressed over by the French Ambassador and Boxing Federation of Kenya President Anthony “Jamal” Ombok.

Top Kenyan boxers will then converge in Mombasa for the second leg of the Kenya National Boxing League from July 17-19 at the Alliance Francaise in the affluent Nyali suburb during which the winners and losers in the finals will receive prize money.

“Alliance Francaise will sponsor the second leg of the league in Mombasa, and will also cater for travelling and accommodation expenses of all the officials,” said Onyango.

“The amount to be paid to the boxers will be annoyed in due course.”

Onyango thanked the French Embassy for supporting the development of boxing in Mombasa.

He also lauded the Mombasa County for availing the Changamwe Community Hall.

“Our boxers will now be able to train in a conducive atmosphere, the hall will be renovated to international standards with neat washrooms and bathrooms,” said Onyango.

The 12 affiliated clubs to the Mombasa County Boxing Association will also receive several pairs of sparring and competition gloves.

For over 10 years now, a prominent Mombasa businessman, Anwar Pandya, has silently been bankrolling Mbaraki Boxing Club.

A staunch boxing fan, Pandya has improved the lives of several youth abusing drugs using boxing as a vehicle for change at the Mbaraki Club.

“I’m very happy through my support, Mbaraki has produced good boxers some of whom have joined the forces,” says Pandya whose son Samir Anwar boxed for Mbaraki Club before turning pro in Dubai.

He hailed the French Embassy for supporting the development of boxing in Mombasa, and that he is ready to work alongside such serious sponsors of boxing in Kenya’s second largest city.

“I’m willing to work with the Mombasa County Boxing Association to maintain this initiative started by the French Embassy because we have to look into ways of sustaining such a worthy project,” says Pandya._Samir Anwar now fighting as a pro in Dubai_

“They’ll have to be careful on how the money is used to avoid misuse of funds by some unscrupulous officials whose aim is just to fulfill their selfish interests.”

Pandya is happy with the work of Mbaraki Boxing Club coach Paul Mathenge aka Swagaa.

“Swagaa has done very well as a coach, I’ll continue supporting him because he’s dedicated to his job,” says Pandya

Among some boxers who have passed through Mathenge’s hands include his own son and bronze medallist in the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Black Moses Mathenge, Rayton Okwiri , Ashira Oure and Australia-based pro boxer Brian Agina.

MBITHE, FAITH FOURTH FIGHT WILL NOT HAPPEN IN BUSIA

▪️Defending champions KDF, Prisons and Kibra missing in action

Faith Nafuna aka Fekete was eagerly looking forward to her fourth fight with two-time Kenya Open champion Veronica Mbithe aka Pioneer.

“This time it’ll be echoes of war,” declared 20-year-old Nafuna in an interview with boxersworld.co.ke

But the fourth fight between these two promising female pugilists will not happen because defending champions KDF is among the teams not taking part in the first leg of the league starting today at the Farm View Hotel in Busia on the border of Kenya and Uganda.

Mbithe has defeated Nafuna three times but this time round Nafuna was ready to chalk up her first win over the KDF boxer, a silver medallist in the Africa Military Games.

“Mbithe is a tough boxer I respect her and we’re good friends but not in the ring,” said Nafuna who attributes her success to the inspiration she gets from her mum Joy Chasorini.

Nafuna will now have to wait for the second leg of the Kenya National Boxing League in Mombasa in July to battle it out with Corporal Mbithe, the first Kenyan female boxer to be employed by the KDF.

The other big fight affected by non appearance of KDF is the Robert Okaka vs Humphrey Ochieng War Three.

Ochieng aka Jakababa was tuned to this fight but he will have to wait for the second leg having lost twice so far to Okaka aka Man Man Ngori.

The highlight of the three-day league in Busia should be the hot-tempered flyweight fight between Kenya Open champion Diouf “Bashday” Muimi of Police and Nairobi’s Emmanuel “Manu” Chondo who has yet to accept Muimi beat him in the Kenya Open finals at the Charter Hall last month.

“I defeated Manu fair and square, he will never beat me again,” an angry Muimi said in reaction to Chondo’s contention that the Police boxer was handed victory on a silver platter through skewed officiating.

The first leg of the league will feature 10 clubs with Kenya Open champions Police expected to dominate the proceedings.

UGÀNDAN PROMOTER EXPLAINS WHY HE’S RELUCTANT TO INCLUDE KENYAN BOXERS IN HIS CARD

▪️My priority is not on attendance but building boxers’ records, says Steve Sembuya of 12 Sports Rounds Promotion.

Ugandan professional boxing promoter Steve Sembuya has explained why he’s at the moment reluctant to include Kenyan boxers in his May 24 card at Nairobi’s Charter Hall.

Sembuya has been licensed by the Kenya Professional Boxing Commission (KPBC) to do business in Kenya after falling out with the government and boxing authorities in Uganda whom he accused of sabotage.

“Not that I don’t want to include boxers from Kenya, I’m happy to promote my fights here and very grateful to KPBC but the problem with some Kenyan boxers is that they want a big purse instead of focusing on building their record,” Sembuya told boxersworld.co.ke in an interview from the US where he is based.

“Right now my major focus is on the four boxers I have in my stable I want to build their records. I’m not focusing much on attendance but building boxers’ records, this is important for their marketability and it’s my business model.”

Sembuya went on narrating: “This is my first promotion in Kenya, I will definitely give the deserving Kenyan boxers their chance provided they don’t put money first before their records, I pay some of my boxers less money than their opponents but it’s strategic because they’ll benefit later with a better record and more fights.”

Sembuya gave an example of Henry Kasujja who only started boxing as a pro in 2022 but now has two stars and a half like Kenya’s Rayton Okwiri, the best placed Kenyan who joined the paid ranks in 2017.

“Right now there’s no Kenyan with three stars but in Uganda we have Suleiman Segawa with three and a half stars and David Ssemuju having three stars,” said Sembuya.

Contacted, Kenyan matchmaker, Julius Odhiambo, said while he cannot dispute some of Sembuya’s sentiments, he said he has never been contacted by the Ugandan promoter to provide Kenyan boxers.

“It’s not all the Kenyan boxers asking for big money, maybe just one or two but most of them understand the importance of building their records,” said Odhiambo who welcomed Sembuya in Kenya but advised him to deal with the right people.

“We are happy to have Sembuya in Kenya, we want fights here but he should deal with me on matchmaking where Kenyan boxers are involved. It’s not too late I can talk with Sembuya we have Kenyan boxers in his card who’ll not ask him for unreasonable purse because they also know promoters have no sponsors and therefore it’s impossible to be paid well.”

In the May 24 main fight, Uganda’s Henry Kasujja will take on Malawi’s Charles Misanjo in a 10-round non-title fight.

There’s no opponent yet for Kenya’s Denzel Onyango, the only Kenyan boxer appearing in Sembuya’s May 24 card in Nairobi.