Kenya assured of Africa Zone Three Championships gold as Hit Squad dazzle

Kenya is guaranteed of winning a gold medal at the ongoing Africa Boxing Confederation (AFBC) Zone Three Championships after seeing two of its light middleweight boxers secure their place in the finals scheduled for Friday, 24 October.

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This comes after both Boniface Mugunde and debutant Alvin Oduor breezed their way through Wednesday’s pair of semifinals, meaning that it will be an all-Kenyan affair for gold.

Mugunde, skipper of the national team and reigning Africa Elite Boxing Championships gold medalist, had the easiest of paths to the final, as he stopped Ugandan opponent Alex Kanabi with 53 seconds to go in the first round, forcing the referee to stop the bout.

Mugunde, currently the national champion in the division, wasted no time in asserting his authority in the championships, as he sent his man sprawling.

©Uganda Boxing Federation

His long unbeaten run on home soil will come to the test when he comes up against rising prodigy Oduor, who scored an emphatic 5-0 win over Tanzania’s Kassim Selemani inside three rounds.

Oduor, hailing from Mbotela Boxing Club and a member of the Kenya Defence Forces, is one of 12 Kenyan boxers making their national team debut, and will look to cause another upset when he faces the man in red hot form.

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After a bruising day for the hosts on Tuesday, 21 October, Kenya enjoyed a rather successful outing, for the better part of Wednesday afternoon, as the session saw all, but one Kenyan boxer fail to proceed to the finals.

Kicking off the day’s action was African Games bronze medalist Amina Martha, who dispatched her Ethiopian opponent Roman Assefa 3-2 in the women’s bantamweight, before rising talent Cynthia Mwai surprised many with a 5-0 win over Uganda’s Erina Namutebi.

Kibra’s Paul Omondi was however, the exception, as he lost 4-1 to Uganda’s Kasim Murungi.

©Uganda Boxing Federation

Featherweight debutant Mwinyi Kombo rekindled Kenya’s hopes with a 5-0 win over Ethiopia’s Fitwi Tumayi, wrapping up the jubilant occasion for the hosts.

In the evening session, four other Kenyan boxers made it to the finals, led by national flyweight champion Veronica Mbithe, who got the better of her compatriot Lencer Akinyi, debutant Diouf Muimi - 5-0 winner over Uganda's Livingstone Matovu, Lorna Kusa, who dispatched Tanzanian opponent Rachel Msengi, and Humphrey Ochieng, 4-1 winner over DR Congo’s Nlandu Mbeli in the men's light-heavy weight category.

©Boxing Federation of Kenya

Debutant Caleb Wandera's journey, however, came to an end, as he lost 4-1 to DR Congo's Njibu Ndjibu in the men's light-welterweight category.

Excluding those fighting on Wednesday, other boxers already in the final include: Silus Onyango, Faith Nafula, Emily Juma, Friza Asiko, Chris Ochanda, and middleweight Elizabeth Andiego.