Okwiri eyes IBF title at Africa Boxing 18

Kenyan Olympian Rayton Okwiri is set to face off with Emmany Kalombo in Johannesburg on Thursday 30 June with the International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior middleweight title at stake.

Okwiri who has been intensifying his training in the USA remains confident of defeating the Demcroatic Republic of Congo (DRC) boxer in the Walt Disney Company Africa-organised ESPN Africa Boxing 18 bout.

Their showdown is scheduled for 12 rounds, Kalombo walking into the bout on the back of 15 wins against one loss while six of Okwiri’s eight opponents did not last the full distance. The Kenyan fighter drew once, in his second pro fight.

Kalombo’s last fight was Chikondi Makawa from Malawi, who went down three times in round three, forcing the automatic stoppage of that fight in Soweto on April 24.

The 27-year-old was making a comeback after having last boxed competitively in April last year where he lost against Israil Madimov over 10 rounds in Uzbekistan.

In Okwiri’s last fight, in October last year, the former ABU middleweight champion knocked Ugandan John Serunjong out cold in the eighth round when they fought in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Kalombo in an interview is reported to have said he “chop him (Okwiri) and put him to sleep”, to which the Kenyan responded with “It is easy to talk only with your mouth, but actions speak louder than words. I don't have much to say, but what I know is that I am taking him to the school of boxing.”