Nick Okoth upbeat ahead of AIBA World Boxing Championships in Belgrade

Kenya Defense Forces boxer Seargeant Nick Commander Okoth is in high spirits ahead of the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Belgrade, Serbia that is set to kick off on October 24, 2021.

The KDF boxer is hoping to follow in the footsteps of the celebrated Steve Muchoki and will be out to replicate Muchoki's gold medal achievement in 1978 in Belgrade, who also happens to be the only Kenyan to have won medals in the world championships.

Okoth, who will be captaining the 13-man team said that he is confident he can win gold as well having in mind that he will be employing a different strategy this time around.

"Muchoki won gold in Belgrade, I can also do it because this time I'll use a different strategy. After talking to my brother (Absalom Okinyi) and close buddies who understand the art of boxing I've changed my style, I want to punch hard with minimal punches. This is how I will box in Belgrade, it's working very well for me and with head coach Musa Benjamin by my side I foresee a medal coming to Kenya, nothing can stop me from achieving Muchoki's gold medal, I'm a soldier I fear nobody. I'm also training smart to avoid burnout, we overtrain using a lot of energy instead of reserving it for the actual tournaments," Okoth is quoted by KDF Amateur Boxing Association

Okoth's elder brother Absalom Okinyi, who inspired him to take up boxing after winning welterweight silver in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is impressed with Okoth's new strategy.

"He should not do unnecessary moves, every punch thrown must hit target, I'm happy he has overcome his habit of throwing so many unnecessary punches," Okinyi said.

As an added incentive, the world's governing boxing body, AIBA, will for the first time give prize money to the medallists with gold medalists taking home $100,000 as silver and bronze medalists will earn $50,000 and $25,000 respectively.