🏆AFRICA’S EMERGING STARS
▪️Alvin Otieno: A star boxer in the making
Watch out for talented Alvin Otieno of Kibra Olympic Club, an African Emerging Star.
The 14-year-old Otieno, a grade eight pupil at Shadrack Kimalel school, was among the most impressive performers in the finals of Nairobi Junior Championships on April 26 at Pal Pal Gym, Pumwani.
He may have lost controversially to an equally good opponent, southpaw Pintos Omondi of Mukuru Fight-4-Life Club, Otieno proved to be the better boxer technically.
Otieno’s superb ring generalship could be mistaken to that of an old hand in the game yet he’s still at the junior level.
He was relaxed, scored accurately, evaded blows tactically and his delivery was perfect.
Even Kenya’s African Games bantamweight bronze medalist Amina Martha Faki, who was at Otieno’s corner, wondered how her boxer lost.
Anyway that’s besides the point. Both youngsters are good, and if anything their 33-36 kg bout was, arguably, the best in terms of ring craftsmanship, mastery of the basics and maturity too considering their age.
Otieno’s progress should now be closely monitored to ensure his potential is not wasted.
He needs to be motivated in any way possible to let him know that he is appreciated. The same treatment should also be accorded to the cool Mukuru’s Pintos Omondi. His intelligent southpaw approach rekindled the glorious era of Kamau “Pipino” Wanyoike, one of Kenya’s most accomplished southpaws.
