Kenyan trio storms Africa Boxing Championships finals in Maputo
Kenyan boxer Elizabeth Andiego trains at the National Exhibition Centre in West Midlands, Birmingham, on July 26, 2022, ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
What you need to know:
- Okoth, who is making his third appearance at the continental event, is on course to defend his lightweight title.
- The 38-year-old Olympian stopped Algerian Walid Tarzout in the second round to advance tot he gold medal match.
Defending champion Nick "Commander" Okoth, Elizabeth Andiego and Samuel Njau from Kenya on Thursday stopped their opponents to reach the finals of their respective bouts in ongoing Africa Boxing Confederation Championships in Maputo, Mozambique.
Okoth, who is making his third appearance at the continental event, is on course to defend his lightweight title.
The 38-year-old Olympian stopped Algerian Walid Tarzout in the second round to advance tot he gold medal match.
Okoth unleashed some solid combinations as Tarzout tumbled to the canvass, dislocating his shoulder in the process.
The referee then stopped the bout on medical grounds.
Okoth from Kenya Defence Forces set up a final showdown against Andrew Chilata from Zambia, who beat South Africa's Sanele Sogcwayi unanimously in the semifinal.
Andiego made short work of South Africa's Muriel Mkateko Sithole, stopping her in the first round to advance to the final in heavyweight.
Some good combinations from Andiego had the referee intervene twice with standing counts before stopping the bout.
It is the first time Andiego was boxing in heavyweight category and at the continental championships.
Andiego was forced to scale to heavyweight after her light heavyweight category attracted no other boxer.
Andiego, who weighed 76 kilogrammes, had the option of adding five more kilogrammes to qualify for the heavyweight contest that features boxers weighing 81kgs and above.
Light heavyweight contest has boxers of between 76kgs and 81kgs.
Andiego now has a daunting task against the lanky World silver medallist Khadija El-Mardi from Morocco in the final on Saturday.
El-Mardi also wasted no time against Kambala Kanjinga from the Democratic Republic of Congo, stopping her in the first round.
El-Mardi is also the African Games champion.
"Though a new category foer me, I am going for gold. I have nothing to fear," said Andiego.
Njau, the Africa Zone III champion, was simply breathtaking to watch on his debut at the continental event as he stopped Ben Banda from Zambia in the second round.
Njau, the Kenya Defence Forces boxer, deployed good tactics, keeping his opponent at the end of his gloves before going for the kill with some lovely combinations.
That saw Banda receive standing counts, twice in the first and once in the third round before the referee stopped the bout.
"Though a complicated fight, I managed to fight well by listening to the coaches, " said Njau, who will now face home boxer Armando Rugoberto Sigauque in the final.
Sigauque chalked a split decision victory against Uganda's Jonathan Kyobe.
Another Kenyan Boniface Mogunde from Kenya Police was due to take on Hamza El Barbari from Morocco in the semi-final of their light middleweight contest Thursday night.
The Kenyans are guaranteed some good monetary rewards after AFBC introduced cash awards for the first time in the event.
Gold medallists will pocket Sh1.2 million, silver medallists will get Sh600,000 while bronze medallists will return home Sh300,000 richer.
