🥊NENEZ BOXING ARCHIVE: Focus on the epic 1981 Kenya National Boxing League match between Prisons and Police

🥊NENEZ BOXING ARCHIVE

Focus on the epic 1981 Kenya National Boxing League match between Prisons and Police.

The introduction of the Kenya National Boxing League in 1981ushered in stiff club competition.

One of the closely contested 1981 league match then was between Police and Prisons – both teams were unbeaten – at the PSTC Gym opposite Wilson Airport.

In the week leading to this eagerly awaited clash, there was tension between the two sides.

Others looked at it as a battle between coaches Jairo “Wamzee” Omuholo and Prisons’ head coach Peter Mwarangu who was also in charge of the national team.

Mwarangu’s team included among others Uganda’s 1970 Commonwealth Games light-flyweight gold medallist James Odwori who was back home, featherweight Napunyi “Nappu” Oduori, lightweight Titus Omondi, hard-hitting light-welterweight Nicholas Tingu, welterweight Kamau “Pipino” Wanyoike, middleweight Thomas Okoth and heavyweight Fred “Sachi” Sabat who had joined Prisons after briefly representing Breweries.

Among the top boxers in Police were light-flyweight John “Poison” Kamau, flyweight Sande Odanga, bantamweight David “Harish” Ouma, light-welterweight Ali “Ojukwu” Athumani, light- middleweight Steve “Vedo” Okumu, and light-heavyweight Raphael “Koko” Mundire.

They fought on Friday in what was a keenly contested league match.

Police won the opening three bouts with light-flyweight John “Poison” Kamau beating Ibrahim Muthee, flyweight Sande Odanga outpointing James Odwori and David Ouma defeating Philip Kiogora who was disqualified by referee Harrison Kilonzo in the third round for persistently holding the dominant Ouma.

Stylish featherweight Napunyi Oduori was in a class of his own, stopping Dishon Odanga in the third round for Prisons’ first victory followed by the second one from lightweight Titus Omondi’s points victory over P. Mutuku who made one trip to the canvas in the first round.

At light-welterweight, Ali “Ojukwu” Athumani survived a first round knockdown by Nicholas Tingu to score a deserved points victory.

Then came the welterweight bout in which Kamau Wanyoike outpointed Francis Odongo to give Prisons’ their third win.

Steve “Vedo” Okumu brought back Police on the winning trail, beating Alfred Bwire at light-middleweight with middleweight Thomas Okoth chalking up Prisons’ fourth victory.

Police led by 5-4 bouts heading to the decisive light-heavyweight bout pitting Prisons’ Alex Oundo and Raphael Mundire.

It’s a bout Police had to win at all costs because it was obvious three-time Fescaaba heavyweight champion Fred Sabat would defeat discuss thrower Eliud Wangila in the last heavyweight bout of the day.

The cops had the last laugh with Mundire scoring a split points win over Alex Oundo.

At this stage coach Wamzee was laughing from ear to ear with six wins he knew Police had carried the day. Little wonder Wamzee threw in the towel in the first round for Sabat to give Prisons’ their fifth victory.

Police won 6-5 bouts to shatter the four-match unbeaten run of Prisons.

It turned out to be Napunyi’s last amateur fight in Kenya. He graduated to the paid ranks in Japan a few weeks after the Prisons’ vs Police league match.