Kenya Police take lead in National Boxing League

Fly Weight Erick Chau of Kibera Olympic Boxing club and Stanley Mathenge of Ruaraka Boxing Club during Nairobi 5th League at New Trade Market, Githurai on Dec 14, 2024. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Former champions Kenya Police have taken the lead in the National Boxing League standings after the first leg of the league championships in Busia over the weekend.

The policemen are perched at the top of the table with 24 points ahead of Nairobi County who posted 14 points while Nakuru County are third with 10 points.

Kisumu County came fourth with nine points ahead of hosts Busia, Nakuru Amateur Boxing Club, Githurai 44 Club and Kiambu and Vihiga Counties who all tied in sixth spot.

Defending champions Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and former champions Kenya Prisons did not attend the opening leg.

Both teams had different technicalities that forced them to skip the league championships at a time boxing fans and pundits looked upon them to give the policemen stiffer competition in the chase for top honours.

KDF team manager Ben Maingi said they'll start their title defence in the second leg of the league championships, which has been pushed to Mombasa from Nakuru on July 17-19. He said they'll not disappoint.

Boxing Federation of Kenya Competitions Secretary John Waweru who confirmed the changes said they were forced to do so owing to a request by Mombasa County Boxing Association who are set to host a referees and judges course on the same month (July 2025).

"We thought it to be prudent Mombasa CBA host the course and the league championships at the same time so that the referees and judges who would officiate in the league championships be given an equal opportunity to attend it," Waweru told Standard Sports.

He said it was a way of enriching the capacity of their technical officials.

And the absence of KDF and Kenya Prisons in Busia made the policemen easily take a commanding lead in their bid to snatch the title from the soldiers who equally won the league title last year after the policemen skipped two legs of the league championships.

Meanwhile, Kenya Prisons hopes to take part in the second leg of the league championships according to head coach Bernard Ngumba.

"Our focus is to get involved in the second leg after missing the opening one in Busia last week. We are getting our boxers ready for it," he said.

In the meantime, Sombea Boxing Club is happy with the performance of her boxers after ensuring Nakuru County got in a respectable position in the league standings.

Head coach Camlus Juma said it had motivated pugilists from the county who are determined to teach their opponents in the subsequent tournaments a lesson.

"This was just another lesson but we are determined to do even better than this," said boxer Victor Komen who lost to Silas Onyango of Kenya Police in the semifinals.