Friza Anyango bounces back to ring on Saturday after pivotal first round win

Kenya’s only active boxer in the 2024 Paris Olympics 1st World Qualification Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy, Frizah Anyango will have her work cut out Saturday evening when she lines up in her welterweight Round of 16 bout.

The Kenya Defence Forces boxer was the only member of Hit Squad to book a place past the first round when she on Friday secured a 5-0 (29-28, 30-27, 29-28, 30-27, 30-27) points victory over Guatemalan opponent Chiroy Maria.

Earlier in the day, teammate Shaffi Bakari had suffered the same fate that befell the other four boxers earlier on in the week, as he fell to a 5-0 points loss to Rustamov Umid from Azerbaijan after receiving a preliminary round bye.

With passage secured, all eyes will therefore be on Anyango as she rises to the ring to face Irish boxer Walsh Grainne.

Already dubbed favorite, Walsh, 28, has represented the Republic of Ireland at the EU Championships and European Games in 2017 and 2019 respectively, winning bronze in all.

Anyango on the other hand, will hope that her rising status in boxing will keep on growing, and with it, a potential debut at the Summer Games.

The bout will be live on the Olympic channel from 2100 EAT.

Recap

Following Christine Ongare’s loss on Sunday, Kenya suffered more anguish as all three boxers fighting after her this week suffered first-round exits.

Skipper Boniface Mugunde was knocked out in the second round by Croatia's Peter Knezevic on Tuesday before David Karanja and Elizabeth Andiego lost 5-0 on points to Round of 32 challengers Bibossinov Saken of Kazakhstan and Lithuania’s Stonkute Gabriele respectively.

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