Kenyans suffer losses in AIBA Boxing tourney

Kenyan boxers David Karanja and Victor Odhiambo have attributed their preliminary round losses at the 2021 AIBA Boxing Men World Championship in Serbia to inexperience

Karanja lost 4-1 against Ecuadorian Luis Delgado in the Flyweight 48-51 kilograms, while Odhiambo was beaten 5-0 by Indian Thapa Shiva in Light Welterweight (60-63 kilos) in Belgrade where Kenya has a full team of 13 boxers at the biennial event which has attracted 510 boxers from 88 National Olympic Committees.

”I thank God and Boxing Federation of Kenya for this chance. The game was good, although I lost in split decision. I fought an experienced boxer than me. He has been to the world championship before unlike me. He was skillful. It’s been a good opportunity for me to learn. I’m going back to the drawing board, to work harder. There’s room for improvement," Karanja said.

Odhiambo said he was lucky to come out of the ring without an injury.

“My opponent was more experienced than me. I have tried my level best but the opponent was very clever. Things didn’t work for me because he could not be read. He changed his playing style every round. I have learned a lot from my first appearance at the World Championships. I hope to challenge him or any other boxer in my category better next time."

The defeats came a few hours before Hit Squad captain Nicholas “The Commander” Okoth advised his compatriots to be aggressive in the ring.

Okoth, 38, is competing in his third World Championship after 2009 and 2017 editions. He will enter the ring on Wednesday.

“It is time for showtime. You have to force a fight by being aggressive in the ring. There’s no backpedaling…we want to get back to our glory days when Kenya was known for athletics and boxing. We need to go back there because we have the ability,” said Okoth, whose first fights at the previous global contests ended in losses. The two-time Olympian will face Dominican Alexy De La Cruz in Lightweight.

Kenyans Boniface Mogunde (Light Middleweight) and Hezron Maganga (Cruiserweight) will take on Alban Beqiri (Albania) and Riyad Alhindawi (Jordan) on Wednesday.

“I don’t know much about my opponent apart from the country he comes from, but I’ve prepared well and I’m ready to dominate. With God everything is possible. I’m hoping for a victory,” said Mogunde.

Maganga thanked God for the opportunity to be in Serbia.

“For me, it’s a blessing to be here. I’m ready for these games. I feel I’m fully prepared and leave the rest to God."