TITLE IN SIGHT: Kenya Defence Forces reign at fourth leg of National Boxing League in Nyeri

Kenya Defence Forces' Musa Gitonga (right) and Joseph Shigali of the Police team exchange blows during the National Boxing League in Thika on August 16, 2014. Musa won 3-0. [ PHOTO: JENIPHER WACHIE/standard]

Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) won the fourth leg of the National Boxing League in Nyeri over the weekend to enhance their chances of wresting the title from defending champions Kenya Police for the first time in eight years.

The soldiers amassed a total of 21 points to beat the policemen with three clear points and get closer to the league title after earlier scooping the legs in Mombasa and Kisumu.

Kenya Prisons were third with 16 points ahead of Central Combined three, Administration Police two while Kenyatta National Hospital and Nanyuki trailed with a point apiece.

Nyanza Combined, Nakuru ABC and Coast Combined failed to avail their teams after earlier indicating signs of overcoming teams from the disciplined forces during the three day competition.

As a result, KDF are still leading the ten table standings with 91 points with a leg of the league left to be hosted at Madison Square Garden in Nakuru from October 30 to November 1.

 

BIASED OFFICIATING

Kenya Police are runners-up with 82 points. Kenya Prisons 31, Coast Combined 19, Kenyatta National Hospital 11. Central Combined 11, Nyanza Combined 10, Nakuru ABC 8, Nairobi Metropolitan seven and Nanyuki a point.

Police coach George ‘Foreman’ Onyango complained of biased officiating at Nyeri Municipal Hall, sentiments that have been dismissed by Officer in Charge of the competitions Albert
Matito.

Matito, who is also Boxing Association of Kenya Vice President said: “There was nothing like biased officiating as all teams were allowed to produce at least a referee or a judge to the technical panel.”

According to Matito, Police presented three referees to the referees and judges panel, KDF two, while Nairobi Metropolitan, Administration Police and Central Combined gave one each.

“If all teams gave out a referee or a judge to the panel, then how could the federation be accused of ineptness in officiating,” posed Matito.

During the tournament, KDF sent sevens boxers in the final, Police six, Prisons four, Administration Police and Central Combined had one each, while Kenyatta National Hospital players were eliminated in the preliminaries.

In the light flyweight, Peter Kiarie of Police beat Shafi Bakari of KDF on points as policeman Peter Mungai was technically knocked out by Elid Mohammed of KDF.

Benson Wanyonyi of Central Combined had a rude shock against Kennedy Okello of Prisons who beat him on points in the bantamweight bout.

In the lightweight, Kingstone Otieno of Police lost to Steve Okoth of Prisons 2-1 as Joseph Njogu of Prisons demolished John Kyalo of Police.

Vincent Ochieng’ of Administration Police and Nickson Abaka of KDF won their bouts against Edwin Okong’o of KDF and David Njuguna of Police in the welter and middleweight categories respectively.

In the light heavyweight, Hezron Maganga of KDF lost to experienced policeman Elly Ajowi as Fredrick Onyango of KDF stunned Olympian Aziz Ali of Prisons.

In the final match of the day, experienced Daniel Shitsia knocked out Fredrick Ramogi of KDF in the first round. [email protected]