All eyes on Mugunde to sail past Round of 32 World Championships bout

Hit Squad skipper and light middleweight boxer Boniface Mugunde believes he has all it takes to make a further step in the IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships having made history for Kenya over the concluded week.

The recently appointed team captain on the third day of the global championships outdueled his opponent from Bahamas - Hield Carl Leviticus in the last fight of Session 5A, winning all five rounds (30-27, 30-27, 29-28, 30-27, 30-27) in a 5-0 win by points.

“I am grateful to God for the far he has brought me, it hasn't been easy,” a usually composed Mugunde reflected on his win - one that was a second for the Kenyan team in the annual championships now being held in Tashkent Uzbekistan.

Another Kenyan, Hezron Sabat Maganga was the second Kenyan to get on to the ring on Day Two; winning bout N.o 67 of Session 2B against French Polynesia’s Tetoofa Henere in five rounds of (30-26, 30-27, 30-26, 30-27, 30-27).

Kenya’s Joseph Shighali had initially lost his light middleweight bout against Gambia’s Barry Omar Ibraahim 4-1.

“Now that I have been pooled against a boxer I know well, I feel confident enough of delivering another win,” Mugunde said of his opponent El--Barbari Hamza of Morocco.

Mugunde last year defeated Hamza (seventh seed) in the Africa Boxing Championships in Maputo and hopes to repeat the same feat in the Saturday afternoon bout.

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“I have beaten him before and all I need to work on is my reach,” Mugunde said. “The rest we will leave to God and I believe he will grant us another win.”

The Round of 32 clash will be aired live on the IBA platform in the day’s second session 11 B - bout number 287.