As teams and boxers prepare for the Kenya Open Championships that box-off at Charter Hall in Nairobi on Wednesday, they are ready to catch the eye of national selectors in fight for top honours.
Boxers and coaches said their ultimate objective is to impress and be selected into national teams for international championships.
Most teams from the counties completed their selections last week ahead of the D-Day tomorrow in a tournament that allows their boxers to face some of the most experienced players at any stage.
Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu and Mombasa counties had earlier completed their selection and are ready to give their best in the four-day competition that has attracted many players for the first time in many years.
The high demand has resulted in the national federation making the event a four-day tournament instead of three according to Secretary General David Munuhe.
“We pushed it from three to four days due the high enrollment of boxers,” said Munuhe.
Fresh from their branch elections two weeks back, Nakuru County has put back their woes and are ready to give their best in the tournament.
Nakuru County Boxing Association Competitions Secretary Lemid Thiong’o confirmed the participation of four of their boxers.
The four boxers are minimum weights Anthony Kariuki and Peter Munene, light welterweight
Geoffrey Onyango and welterweight Bilaal Abdullahi.
“We have really trained well after our selection trials and ready for the big show,” said Thiong’o who is also Nakuru Boxing Club head coach.
And Sombea Boxing Club chairman Martin Luther said some of their boxers are equally scheduled for the championships.
“Be assured of some of our boxers headed there,” he said without elaborating.
Kajiado County Boxing Association will have at least three boxers.
Chairman Moses Kamalik named them as featherweight Kepha Kanali, lightweight Fernandez Otieno and middleweight Lawrence ‘Thunder Hitman’ Ombwochi.
“These boys are a great team and we are not coming here for hairdressing. We are in for serious business,” said Kamalik.
Kamalik assured that his boxers will equally give others a run for their money.
Without naming his squad, Nairobi County Boxing Association which is one of the biggest branches producing the biggest squad is ready for the big show.
Secretary General Musa Benjamin said they are ready to give their best at an event that opens doors to the first leg of the National Boxing League to be held in Busia from May 15-17.
“Our boxers are ready to square it out with others from the rest of the country as from tomorrow (Wednesday). It gives us the exposure as we take a match at a time both for our female and male boxers. Let the best boxers win,” he told Standard Sports.
Ben Ahenda
| Apr 15, 2025