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Okwiri to battle Makawa for WABA African title
Middleweight boxer Rayton Okwiri works out at AV Fitness gym at Kileleshwa, Nairobi on February 21, 2023.
What you need to know:
- There will be two women contests featuring Kenyan and Tanzanian boxers in the extravaganza that starts at 4pm.
- Kenya’s Pracides Anyango goes against Halima Bandola in a six-round featherweight contest while Elizabeth Akinyi (Kenya) confronts Lucy Macho (Tanzania) in the four-round super middleweight bout.
Former Africa Boxing Union (ABU) champion, Kenya’s Rayton Okwiri will take on Malawian Chikondi Makawa for the World Alliance Boxing Association (WABA) Supreme Africa Middleweight title on Saturday at the Nyayo National Stadium.
Kenya Professional Boxing Commission (KPBC) chairman Reuben Ndolo disclosed Monday that the bout featuring Okwiri, who has eight wins, a loss and a draw (8-1-1) and Makawa (15-16-1), will last 10 rounds.
It will be the first time Okwiri, 37, is fighting since claiming a unanimous decision against Shabani Ally Ndaro from Tanzania in a non-title contest at Kenyatta International Convention Centre on January 14 this year.
In his only loss, Okwiri retired against Emmany Kalombo, handing the Congolese the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) International Super Welterweight title on June 30, last year in Johannesburg.
Makawa, 31, who is yet to fight for any major title, is also fresh from another unanimous decision victory against fellow countryman Chimwemwe Chiotcha on August 5 this year in Lilongwe.
“Okwiri seems to amass great ambitions in boxing and he focuses on building his arsenals to propel him to the pinnacle of the sport of boxing,” said Ndolo, adding that Malawian Samba man hopes to count on his huge punches for victory.
Okwiri knocked out Tanzanian Hussein Itaba to claim the vacant ABU middleweight title on June 8, 2019, but would relinquish it when he sought to represent Kenya at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Another former ABU champion, Kenya’s Daniel Wanyonyi will take on Ramadhan Kaminja from Tanzania in a non-title cruiserweight eight-round contest.
In his last bout, Wanyonyi (29-15-2) knocked down Karim "Mtu Kazi" Mandonga from Tanzania twice before chalking a unanimous decision in a non-title light heavyweight rematch bout on June 23 this year in Nairobi.
Fast-rising Albert Kimario will slug it out with Tanzania’s Baina Mazola in a featherweight contest that is scheduled for six rounds.
There will be two women contests featuring Kenyan and Tanzanian boxers in the extravaganza that starts at 4pm.
Kenya’s Pracides Anyango goes against Halima Bandola in a six-round featherweight contest while Elizabeth Akinyi (Kenya) confronts Lucy Macho (Tanzania) in the four-round super middleweight bout.
