The national boxing team ‘Hit-Squad’ is raring to go ahead of the Africa Boxing Championship scheduled to begin Sunday in Yaounde,Cameroon.
Headcoach Benjamin Musa termed the draw as fair declaring hit squad’s readiness for the continetal championship.
“To be a champion you have to beat champions,we are ready for any opponent,as we strive to win our country medals’’, Musa remarked.
In some of the draw Abednego Kyalo will face Democratic Republic of Congo’s Zola Livens Tulemebekwa in the minimum weight pre quarter final bout while former Zone 3 Fly weight gold medalist David Karanja will slug it out with Sahabi Moussa of Niger.
“The competition is relatively easy going by the entries,i am aiming for gold as we get in shape for the Olympic qualifiers”,David said .
Christine Ongare is one of the two Kenyan boxers who are already through to the semi finals.Ongare is scheduled to face Yasmine Moutaki of Morocco in the minimum weight bout. Elizabeth Andiego has one foot in the final too after being paired against Mardi Khadijja of Morocco in the light heavyweight draw.
“We are ready,and we will put in our best show than what the team achieved last time in Maputo,everyone in the team is focussed on the opponent they will face after the draw and devise ways of comin out on top”Andiego remarked. Andiego will be seeking to avenge the loss she suffered against Mardi in last years in Maputo.
Friza Anyango will be fighting in her second outing in national colours after debuting at this years AIBA World boxing women championship in India.She faces Oumayma Bel Ahbib of Morocco in their welter weight quarter final bout.
Kenya has sent a squad of 15 pugilists to this years championship with 7 already through to the quarter finals and two will begin their matches at the semi final stage.
During the 2022 edition in Mozambique,Kenya was ranked 12th with 4 medals,three silver and one Bronze.
Africa Boxing Championship-Cameroon
Hit Squad draw
*Minimum weight quarter final*
1. Abednego Kyalo of Kenya vs Zola Livens
Tulembekwa of DRC
*Flyweight quarter final*
2. David Karanja of Kenya vs Sahabi Moussa of Niger
*Bantamweight preliminary pre quarter final*
3. Shaffi Bakari of Kenya vs Kewel Frontin of Mauritius
*Featherweight Pre quarter final*
4. Tchouta Mbianda of Cameroon vs Samuel Njau of Kenya
*lightweight pre quarter final*
5. Ethan Maina of Kenya vs Amiri Wasswa of Uganda
*Light welterweight pre quarter final*
6. Anthony Maina of Kenya vs Ridwan Ige of Nigeria
*Light middleweight pre quarter final*
7. Nestor Nduwarugira of Burundi vs Boniface Mogunde of Kenya
*Light heavyweight pre quarter final*
8. Robert Okaka of Kenya vs Idrisa Mukiibi of Uganda
*Heavyweight quarter final*
9. Baltazard Tsoni icha of Congo Brazzaville vs Peter Abuti of Kenya
*Super heavyweight quarter final*
10. Fredrick Ramogi of Kenya vs Mourad Kadi of Algeria
Women
*Minimum weight semi final*
1. Christine Ongare of Kenya vs Yasmine Mouttaki of Morocco
*Bantamweight quarter final*
2. Lethokuhle Sibisi of South Africa vs Amina Martha of Kenya
*Light welterweight quarter final*
3. Jeanine Mbala Amboki of Cameroon vs Teresia Wanjiru of Kenya
*Welterweight quarter final*
4. Oumayma Bel Ahbib of Morocco vs Friza Anyango of Kenya
*Light heavyweight semi final*
5. Mardi Khadija of Morocco vs Elizabeth Andiego of Kenya.
