BFK turn attention to IBA World Championships after Zone Three postponement

Following last week’s unexpected postponement of the Africa Zone Three Boxing Championships that had been scheduled for 18-22 April this year at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Tanzania, the Boxing Federation of Kenya has turned its attention swiftly into the upcoming IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships.

Zone Secretary General Lukelo Wililo on Friday announced that the Africa Boxing Confederation championships will take place in August in order to ‘let the countries going to Tashkent to focus on the global tournament’ and also to ‘allow more countries to participate.’

“The postponement will now give us ample time to host more elaborate championships,” Wililo told AFBC Communications. “If possible we want all our 14 member countries to attend and make it the most colorful and most successful Zone 3 tournament - a big party to enhance our regional unity.”

With the Kenyan team having been in camp, BFK have taken the easier route after the announcement to keep the men’s team around as they prepare to grace the 30 April to 14 May championships in Uzbekistan.

“The men’s side we had for the Zone 3 Championships will be the same one that will travel for the Worlds,” BFK Communications Director Duncan Kuria confirmed on Tuesday. “The team will have 13 boxers.”

Hit Squad coach Musa Benjamin and his assistant David Munuhe have been undertaking the team’s training over the last week and the preparations are set to continue this week with the top thing being rebounding from underpar performances in 2021 and 2017.

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Kenya is still yet to win a world championships gold medal and saw all boxers including heavyweight boxer Elly Ajowi and multiple African champion Nick Okoth bow out from the opening rounds last time out in Belgrade, Serbia.

Boniface Mugunde will skipper the side which also includes featherweight champion Samuel Njau and light heavyweight boxer Peter Abuti.

FULL SQUAD:

Abednego Kyalo, David Karanja, Shaffi Bakari, Samuel Njau, Ethan Maina, Joseph Shighali, Steve Olang, Bonface Mugunde, Edwin Okong'o, Hezron Maganga, Robert Okaka, Peter Abuti, Elly Ajowi.