A painful body blow for Morocco as world heavyweight champion Khadija Mardi pulls out from Women's World Boxing Championships.
KHADIJA MARDI WILL NOT DEFEND HER WORLD TITLE IN SERBIA
Mardi (left) at the 2023 Africa Championships in Yaounde, Cameroon.
Morocco’s national women’s boxing team has been dealt a devastating blow following the withdrawal from the World Championships of their boxing jewel Khadija Mardi.
Team manager Nabil Hilmi told boxersworld.co.ke that Mardi will not defend her world heavyweight title she won in India in 2023 because she is unwell. She outpointed Kazakhstan’s Kungeibayeva Lazzat in New Delhi to become the first African female boxer to win a world title.
“It’s a big blow for the entire team our captain is not with us, we have to accept the reality,” said Hilmi who is now the Vice President of Royal Moroccan Boxing Federation.
Mardi and compatriot Yasmine Mouttaki were the only two African medalists in the 2023 Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi, India.
In an interview with boxersworld.co.ke before she fell ill, Mardi said was looking forward to defending her world heavyweight title in Serbia.
“I’ve prepared myself very well to defend my title ,” said the mother of three daughters who is also triple African champion.
She played down the question of any boxer posing a threat to her title defence.
“There’s no such thing as threat in boxing, I know I’m capable with hard work and endurance nothing is impossible,” she said.
Yasmine Mouttaki won a bronze medal in the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi.
With Mardi out, Mouttaki will be the only African medallist in the 2023 Worlds in Serbia.
The seven boxers to represent Morocco in Serbia.
Team manager Nabil announced the seven boxers who will represent Morocco in Serbia:
Joyful Tanzanian boxers looking ahead to Women's World Championships but they might end up bathing in their tears if visa hitch knocks them out from the Serbian tournament.
VISA HITCH HITS TANZANIA, GHANA AND DR CONGO
Africa flyweight champion Nyembo Gisele is of DRC boxers heading to Serbia but still uncertain of the trip.
The three countries might be forced to pull out from Women’s World Boxing Championships in Nis, Serbia from March 8-16.
Officials of Ghana, Tanzania and DR Congo have expressed their disappointment on the slow pace of visa issuance by the Serbian Embassies.
This has forced the DR Congo government to reprimand the Serbian Embassy in Kinshasa to speed up the process.
Africa flyweight champion Nyembo Gisele is one of the DR Congo boxers entered for the tournament.
Ghana Boxing Federation Vice-President Daudi Fuseni is not amused at all.
“We are applying from Accra, Ghana. We were told by the organizers that all visas were approved but the consulate keeps on saying they need to get the notification from Belgrade in their system but have not seen it,” Fuseni told boxersworld.co.ke in an interview from Accra.
He went on: “My question is, how difficult is it when a visa is already approved and just needs to be sent to the appropriate consulate for issuance?
“I personally inquired from the organizers and they told me that all visas for the participating countries were approved so I donāt think the issue of late submission comes in anymore.”
He wondered why the Serbian Embassy is dragging the issuance yet they have been notified by the International Boxing Association (IBA) to give priority to countries taking part in Women’s Worlds.
“I believe there are times when you need to treat certain issues special and I think this world championships is not an exception.”
Ghana’s coach Abdul Rasheed is now relying on divine intervention.
Boxing Federation of Tanzania President Lukelo Willilo spent the whole day on Friday, March 7, communicating with Serbian government officials in Belgrade on their issuance of their visas at the the Serbian Embassy in Nairobi. Serbia does not have an Embassy in Tanzania.
“It’s very interesting visas are being approved in Belgrade, they told us we wait for the approval so we’re wondering what’s the use of the Embassy in Nairobi if they have no authority to issue visas,” said Willilo who is now thinking on plan B to make it to Nis on time.
He added: “What will we tell our boxers after training so hard then they’re informed they’re not going, we’re hoping for the best all is not lost.”
Professional boxer Halima Vunjabei has been brought on board to beef up Tanzania’s team.
Among the Tanzanian boxers travelling are Zulfa Macho and Halima Vunjabei.
Denzel Onyango is now the face of Kenya's pro boxing
KPBC BOSS NDOLO AND SG KUKA HAIL DENZEL FOR WBC SHOW
The chairman of the Kenya Professional Boxing Commission (KPBC) Reuben Ndolo and the Secretary-General Franklin Imbenzi aka Kuka have congratulated Denzel Onyango for being selected to participate in the first ever WBC Grand Prix in Riyadh in June this year.
“This is not only a great honour for Kenya but the whole of Africa, we are proud of Denzel,” said Ndolo aka Wuod Baba. Ndolo has played a big role in the development of pro boxing in Kenya as a promoter and KPBC chairman.
“The selection of Denzel proves Kenya is still a force to be reckoned with in boxing,” said Imbenzi msee wa Jeri Massive.
Denzel is over the moon for the selection.
“Itās an incredible honour to represent Kenya on such a global stage and be part of this prestigious event,” said Denzel who is unbeaten in five fights with three KOs.
The WBC Riyadh Season Grand Prix tournament seeks to discover promising young prospects at a world level.
It will be divided into five events with 128 boxers battling for glory.
KPBC chairman Reuben Ndolo (fourth right), Denzel Onyango second right, Franklin Imbenzi far left and one of Africa’s top matchmakers Julius Odhiambo far right.
About the Riyadh Season Boxing World Cup:
Age Limit: 26 years old
Record: Up to 15 professional bouts
Weight Divisions: Featherweight, Super Lightweight, Middleweight, and Heavyweight
Tanzania's Commonwealth Games light-heavyweight bronze Yusuf Changalawe appears in his second IBA Champions' Night contest in Moscow tonight.
TANZANIA’S CHANGALAWE AND GHANA’S QUARSHIE IN MOSCOW ACTION TONIGHT
Tanzaniaās light-heavyweight Yusufu Changalawe (1-0) battles Russiaās Cheerav Ashalaev in the 80kg division tonight, March 7, in IBA Champions’ Night contest in Moscow.
This is Changalawe’s second appearance in the Champions’ Night. The first time was in 2024 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he outpointed DR Congo’s Pita Kabeji.
Ashalaev made his IBA pro debut in Sochi last year, defeating Shadiri Musa Bwogi of Uganda by a unanimous decision.
Ghanaās Aminu Quarshie (6-0-2) meets Russian Shokhabbos Shukurov (6-1-0) in the opening fight of the night in the 71kg division.
Shukurov previously defeated Jamshidbek Tojiboev at IBA Championsā Night in Dushanbe in October 2023.
Regarn Simbwa with friends and his coach in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia after staying behind in 2018.
Uganda’s Bashir Nassir returns to the ring on April 11 to take on Australia’s Jesse James Bolt aka Tip Rat in a four-round super featherweight fight at the Melbourne Pavillion.
Nassir, is one of the six Ugandan sportsmen including fellow boxer Regarn Simbwa, who absconded from the Uganda team during the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. He’s now based in Adelaide.
Nassir lost his bantamweight fight 4-1 points to Eswatini’s Zweli Dlamini at the Oxenford Studios.
He becomes the second Ugandan boxer to be eliminated after light-welterweight David Ssemujju.
Uganda was represented by five boxers.The other boxers in Gold Coast were flyweight Juma Miiro who won bronze and welterweight Shadir Bwogi.
Information courtesy of our representative Emmanuel Otti who is based in Melbourne
Kenya’s team of eight boxers and four officials jet out for Serbia.
United in prayer before departure…
Excitement and a joyous sense of pride was written all over the faces of Kenya’s team of eight female boxers and four officials as they jetted out for Serbia via Dubai on Thursday night, March 6th. The team will represent the country during the Women’s World Boxing Championships.
The Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) President, Anthony Otieno Ombok aka Jamal treated the team to a savoury dinner at his Chel-C Hotel in Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi.
Smiling boxers let loose their combinations on innocent coconut fish, chicken and ugali knowing that this popular Kenyan delicacy is rare in Serbia.
The team was hosted to a mouth watering dinner at the Chel-C Hotel owned by BFK President Jamal before they departed for Serbia
“Go there and do us proud, I know you can make it,” Jamal told the team as he escorted them to board one of his PSV vehicles to transport them to the airport.
All the best coach…BFK President Jamal and head coach Musa Benjamin.
This is the fifth time Kenya is taking part in The Women’s World Boxing Championships. They first participated in the 2010 games in Bridgetown, Barbados, 2012 in Qinhuangdao, China, 2022 in Istanbul, Turkey and 2023 in New Delhi, India
Warhorse Liz Andiego retains her position as captain, and is the only one in the team to have taken part in all editions, twice featuring in the quarter-finals in 2022 and 2023.
Eating is serious business for captain Liz Andiego
The boxers who left for Nis, Serbia, are: light-flyweight Veronica Mbithe, flyweight Lencer Akinyi, bantamweight Amina Martha, featherweight Pauline Chege, lightweight Emily Juma, light-welterweight Cynthia Mwai, welterweight Friza Anyango and light-heavyweight Liz Andiego.
Has Veronica Mbithe toppled BFK President Jamal in his office? So it seems but it was shortlived once she left for Serbia.
BFK’s 1st Vice-President and Secretary-General of Laikipia Country, Lydia Kinyua, is the team manager while Musa Benjamin is the head coach with David Munuhe the deputy head coach and trainer John Waweru.
No sweat no gain…Lencer Akinyi at a training session
Lencer Akinyi is resolutely determined and headstrong despite the herculean task she’s facing in Nis, Serbia where she’s making her international debut in the World Championships from March 8-16.
In normal circumstances, Akinyi should have gone through a gradual ascension featuring in inter-country, regional and Africa tournaments before taking part in Women’s World Championships but owing to lack of regular competitions in Africa and constant exposure, she is plunging into the deep waters in her maiden appearance for the national team.
She’s however not the only one faced with this challenge. Two of her teammates, lightweight Emily Juma and light-welterweight Cynthia Mwai, are also making their maiden international appearance in Serbia. Others such as featherweight Pauline Chege and welterweight Friza Anyango also made their international debuts in the last World Championships in New Delhi, India in 2023.
Akinyi will therefore have to dig deep into her reservoir of confidence, courage, perseverance and willpower; regardless of the big challenge in Serbia.
She will also rely on her knowledge and life skills she has gained at her club, Boxgirls. The community based organisation empowers the girl child through boxing.
Akinyi’s challenge will come from Asian and European boxers. At the 2023 Women’s Worlds, China’s Wu Yu won gold with Italy’s Sirine Charaabi settling for silver.
She and her compatriots have been training in a non-residential camp at Mathare Depot in Nairobi under head coach Musa Benjamin who is now putting in the finishing touches before departure for Serbia.
“Lencer is working on her speed and keeping range, she isn’t using her reach well and she’s very slow.”
Musa explains why she preferred Akinyi to Faith Nafuna who made her international debut in 2024 in the Africa Championships in Kinshasa, DR Congo.
“Lencer is a bit technically superior to Faith though the latter is stronger and more aggressive.”
Lencer Akinyi (left) in a past tournament
How does Akinyi feel representing the national for the first time?
“It is an incredible honor to represent my country, this is a dream come true and I feel proud to carry the flag to showcase my skills in the ring,” Akinyi told boxersworld.co.ke in an interview.
“Although it’s my first time, I’m ready to give my best, stay focused, and make my country proud.
“I’m expecting good results and performance with a relaxed mind, composure and to handle my opponents with confidence.”
The third born in a family of five girls, Akinyi, who is from Nyamira County in Kenya’s Western Region, ventured into boxing in 2020 at Boxgirls where she now works as a field coordinator.
“I joined Boxgirls Kenya in 2013 as a life skills participant since I never had an interest in boxing. After my high school I rejoined the organisation to give back to the community as a life skills facilitator.
“My journey as a boxer began at the end of the 2020 with coach Alfred Analo aka Priest and Jane Knight aka Sonko Msoto as my coaches. It hasn’t been easy because my coach believed in me more than I believed in myself. Being skinny was a big challenge to me by then because I thought boxing was all about masculinity.
“My mum (may she continue resting in peace) was also a big challenge when I began boxing, she was totally against it. She believed boxing was a male dominated sport andĀ never wanted to hear about it. I trained for the last two months of 2020 and then in 2021 January I participated in the Nairobi and national novices and intermediates. In the national novices I was named the most promising boxer in the light-flyweight class. This was a big morale booster and encouraged me to work harder.”
Akinyi’s most memorable moment was when she fully stretched 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Christine Ongare before going down on points in 2023.
“I managed the whole three rounds with her,” recalls Akinyi who’s married and has a beautiful daughter called Larry.
“She won points but in an interview she said it seems I was just training for her since the fight wasn’t easy. This was after Jamal’s Cup in Kisumu when she stopped me within one minute of the first round.”
What inspires Akinyi in boxing?
“My biggest inspiration is the passion that I have for fitness and sports, it is through boxing that I have gained my confidence. I am also inspired by Commonwealth champion Sarah Achieng aka Angel of War who is my teammate and sparring partner. I also thank coach Charles Mukula of Dallas Boxing Club for he has also played big role in my boxing journey.”
Kenya's Christine Ongare (left) carrying the fight to Tanzania's Rahma Maganga in the 2023 Women's World Boxing Championships in New Delhi, India.
KENYA’S ONGARE MAKES HISTORY
She becomes the second female boxer to win in Women’s World Championships in India.
š·šø IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Nis, Serbia, March 8-16, 2025.
Kenya’s Christine Ongare (left) is in a world of her own as Japanese referee Riichi_ _Igarashi stops her round of 16 bout against Turkey’s Erivan Barut in Women’s World_ _Boxing Championships in New Delhi on March 21, 2023.
Flashback 2023 Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi, India.
It’s cheers and champagne for Kenya’s ardent boxing fans.
For the first time in 13 years, Kenya has won a bout in Women’s World Boxing Championships, thanks to Christine Ongare’s deserved second round stoppage win over Tanzania’s southpaw Rahma Maganga.
Ongare has now made history as the second Kenyan female boxer to win a fight in Women’s World Championships after Mary Muthoni, the first Kenyan winner in the 2010 Women Worlds in Barbados.
Ongare controlled the fight from the first round, feeding Rahma with constant dish of well executed right punches, forcing the referee to give Rahma a standing eight count in this round won by Ongare.
The Kenyan increased her work rate in round two, scoring punches with clinical efficiency. A constant dose of accurate rights to the face forced the referee to wave it off to save the young Rahma from further unnecessary punishment from her Kenyan neighbour. She was somewhat surprised why the referee stopped the fight.
Ongare’s bubble burst in the round of 16 when Japanese referee Riichi Igarashi surprisingly stopped her bout against Turkey’s Erivan Barut in the first round.
The stoppage was unjustified and has shocked boxing fans in Africa. The Kenyan had not been hurt or shaken by any of Barut’s punches.
Igarashi’s controversial stoppage left Ongare in tears, cursing the referee in what she described as the most painful moment in her boxing career.
Boxing analysts have called upon the International Boxing Association to advice their referees to avoid such hasty stoppages much as the health of the boxer is of paramount importance.
Flyweight Lencer Akinyi is one of the three Kenyan boxers who’ll be making their international debut in Serbia.
A naturally good dancer, she says she’s not scared of any opponent in Serbia and will dance her way to the medal bracket.
“Kama mbaya ni mbaya, kwani hao walami madem wako na nini sisi hatuna, tutapelekana nao,” says Lencer, a product of Boxgirls , a community based organisation that uses boxing to empower the girl child with life skills.
Lencer says she will use her long reach effectively…don’t miss her captivating story in boxersworld.co.ke as African women boxers prepare for the most prestigious boxing tournament.
It’s going to be š„fire for š„fire!!!!…Go! Go! Lencer
Natasha Jonas: Katie Taylor is the fight that’s personal, but I’ve got to get past Lauren Price
Natasha Jonas and Lauren Price fight to unify the WBC, IBF and WBA welterweight world championships on Friday March 7, watch live onĀ Sky Sports; the all-British Jonas vs Price clash headlines a major all women’s boxing bill at the Royal Albert Hall.
Natasha Jonas is determined to beat Lauren Price and then fight for an undisputed world championship next. But Jonas would take that undisputed fight at welter or super-lightweight, and could have an established rival at either weight.
The fourth world title at welterweight, the WBO belt, is held by Mikaela Mayer, whom Jonas edged out on a tight decision last year.
Mayer boxes Britain’s Sandy Ryan later this month and the winner of that fight would be a natural opponent for the Jonas-Price victor.
But Katie Taylor, whom Jonas boxed in the 2012 Olympic Games and later in a professional world title fight, is the undisputed world champion at super-lightweight.
Jonas would move down in weight for a Taylor fight. She toldĀ Sky Sports‘ Off Limits: “I think the fight that’s personal is Katie. Beat Lauren and whoever comes next – Mayer and Ryan are fighting, whoever wins that fight, that’s for undisputed for us then.
“Or go and fight Katie for undisputed. The two options are undisputed after that fight. Then that’s pretty much me [done]. But I’ve got to get past Lauren first.”
Joe Gallagher, who trains Jonas, is confident the Liverpudlian will indeed get past Price, even though the Welsh world champion is a gifted Olympic gold medallist.
“If you look at what Lauren brings to the table, if you look at her background and pedigree and the fighters she’s fought, and the tools that she brings to the table, her catalogue of punches,” Gallagher toldĀ Sky Sports.
“And then you look at Natasha Jonas and the people that she’s been in with and her catalogue of punches and shot selection – you [think] everyone’s getting caught up in the hype here a little bit.”
He insists this fight will not be Jonas ‘passing the torch’ to Price. “That’s not the case. We’re not going away quietly. We’ve been in this position before, like with Terri Harper and we’ve come back,” Gallagher said. “There’s no pressure on Natasha, it’s all on Lauren.
“Here we are 2025 and she’s putting herself on the frontline again,” he continued. “Lauren’s going to bring the best out of Natasha again. Lauren does things that we feel we can capitalise on.
“It gets real,” he warned Price.
Even though Jonas has been a unified world champion at super-welterweight as well as welterweight, Gallagher points out that she can move down another weight class. “Her real true fighting weight is either 135 or 140lbs,” he said of the Liverpool star.
“So what she’s done and what she’s achieved is unbelievable.”
Watch Natasha Jonas fight Lauren Price at the Royal Albert Hall live onĀ Sky SportsĀ on Friday March 7.
