Achieng' silences Anisha to win Commonwealth Super Lightweight belt

Sarah Achieng

Sarah Achieng' of Kenya (right) in action against Malawi's Anisha Basheel during their Commonwealth Super Light Weight 10-round bout on October 20, 2021 at Charter Hall, Nairobi.


Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Achieng' had promised to talk with punches in the ring against Malawian Anisha Basheel and she delivered in front of a fully-packed hall in a real show-stopper to win the Commonwealth Super Lightweight belt.
  • Both of them gave as much as they got, but Achieng' was more clinical with her punches. Judges Francis Olando, Daniel Otieno and Martin Ndara scored 100-90, 98-92 and 100-90 for the Kenyan in the 10-round fight refereed by Tanzanian Emmanuel Mlundwa.

Sarah Achieng' and Victor Wesonga gave Kenyan boxing fans a perfect Mashujaa Day gift after winning their respective bouts at Charter Hall in Nairobi on Wednesday.

Achieng' had promised to talk with punches in the ring against Malawian Anisha Basheel and she delivered in front of a fully-packed hall in a real show-stopper to win the Commonwealth Super Lightweight belt.

Sarah Achieng'

Freshly-minted Commonwealth Super Light Weight champion Sarah Achieng' of Kenya poses with the belt after defeating Malawi's Anisha Basheel in a unanimous points decision on October 20, 2021 at Charter Hall, Nairobi.


Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

Both of them gave as much as they received, but Achieng' was more clinical with her punches. Judges Francis Olando, Daniel Otieno and Martin Ndara scored 100-90, 98-92 and 100-90 for the Kenyan in the 10-round fight refereed by Tanzanian Emmanuel Mlundwa.

Achieng' improves her record to 14-0-2. She has won her last six fights. Basheel, who had defeated Joyce Awino and Consolata Musangi at Carnivore in Nairobi in 2017, has now lost two back-to-back bouts.

Wesonga was made to sweat for his win against hard-punching Tanzanian Ali Bakari in featherweight to become the new Pugilist Syndicate of Tanzania (PST) champion.

Wesonga aka Vikings won the vacant title after scoring 97-93, 100-90 and 99-91 in the 10 rounds to hand Bakari his first loss.

He landed good punches and jabs and dodged hot punches from Bakari who threatened to spoil Kenya's party. Wesonga was cheered on by hundreds of fans that thronged the venue.

Victor Wesonga

Victor Wesonga of Kenya celebrates after wining the Pugilist Syndicate of Tanzania (PST) Featherweight title against Tanzania's Ali Bakari on October 20, 2021 in Charter Hall, Nairobi.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

Wesonga, who turned professional in 2019, improved his record to 4-1-0 while Bakari, who made his professional debut in 2017, now is 3-0-1.  

In the day's opening two fights, James Mugeni (Bantam) and Tanzanian Albert Kimaru (Super Bantam) were too good for Edwin Marshal and Lameck Asenga respectively, winning via technical knockouts.

Mugeni took four minutes and 30 seconds of the scheduled 12 rounds bout to floor Marshal.

Dan Oluoch defeated Kennedy Opiyo in Super Middleweight in a unanimous points decision after the three judges scored 40-36, 39-37 and 40-36.

Emmanuel Chivoli dominated lightweight Augustine Wafula in an entertaining bout scoring 59-54, 60-53 and 60-53. Chivoli was dangerous with his left hand punches against a determined Wafula.

Women fights involving Nicoline Achieng' and Joyce Awino (super light) and Consolata Musangi and Jane Kavulani (super feather) ended with majority draw decision after judges scored 57-57, 59-55 and 57-57.

Victor Wesonga

Victor Wesonga of Kenya (right) fights Tanzania's Ali Bakari during their Pugilist Syndicate of Tanzania (PST) Featherweight Title bout on October 20, 2021 in Charter Hall, Nairobi.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

There were fireworks in super lightweight bout between George Onyango and Richard Okoth. The fight looked balanced in the opening two rounds. Okoth felled Onyango in the first round but Onyango recovered to send his opponent on the canvas with two minutes 15 seconds in the third of the scheduled eight rounds.

Olympians Rayton Okwiri, Nick Abaka and Benson Gicharu and former world champion Fatuma Zarika were among hundreds of fans who turned up for the 22bet-sponsored fights attended by former Makadara MP Reuben Ndolo, who is the president of Kenya Professional Boxing Commission that sanctioned the fights.