Okwiri stops Nader as APB welterweights is offered a night of surprises in Baku

Kenya's Rayton Okwiri (left) and Marcos Nader of Australia before their welterweight bout of the week one of the AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) Pre-Ranking Phase in the Sarhadchi Complex in Baku, Azerbaijan. [PHOTO:AIBA]

All Africa Games bronze medallist Rayton Okwiri knocked out Australian top seed Marcos Nader in the Aiba Pro Boxing (APB) series in Baku, Azerbaijan on Saturday.

The Kenya Prisons boxer dominated the welterweight (69kg) category of the Pre-Ranking Phase of the series that is also providing avenue for the 2016 Rio Olympics qualification. With the feat, Okwiri earned Sh2 million.

Okwiri, 28, knocked out Nader, 24, with a right hand hook in round two which turned out to be a shock for his Australian opponent in the volatile encounter staged at the Sarhadchi Complex Hall.

The national sensation was considered an outsider in his weight category, in particular in comparison to Nader who is also the European Union (EBU) belt holder with a flawless pro record of 18-1-1.

Following the Saturday night victory, Okwiri will next face Turkey's Onur Sipal as he seeks his ticket to Rio 2016. Sipal won his six-round contest against Lithuania's Eimantas Stanionis by points on unanimous decision.

"I want to thank my supporters from around the globe. I promise them to do everything I can to make them feel proud. I will work hard to ensure I get an Olympic slot,"Okwiri told FeverPitch.

Olympian and Kenya Police boxer Benson Gicharu was to face Argentine Alberto Melian, 24, who is an Olympian finalist last night.

Ahead of his first competition in the series' bantamweight category, Gicharu said: "This is a lifetime opportunity for me, it will spur me to retain my number one position in Africa and improve my number 30 ranking in the world."

Boxing Association of Kenya (BAK) President John Kameta said: "This is a good start for Kenya. The boxers trained well and it is our hope that they will carry on with the same enthusiasm in the series long run."

 

DESERVED VICTORY

Others to congratulate the boxer were Kenya Professional Boxing Commission (KPBC) Chairman Hillary Alila and patron Johnston Sakaja. 

"The news of Okwiri's feat has come as a great delight to all of us back home in Kenya. His  hard work and commitment has paid off," Alila told FeverPitch.

On his part, Sakaja said: " I congratulate Okwiri for his deserved victory, he has done a great job for Kenya and made the whole country happy, we are humbled by his win." 

BAK will earn 30 per cent of the total income realised by any of the boxers per contest from Aiba, this is independent from the boxers' earnings. Any draw in the series earns both contestants Sh440,000.

APB competition is based on individual rankings and aims to showcase the best features of Pro Boxing. The Pre-ranking Phase that seeks to identify champions in each category will run till January 31, 2015.

The Aiba contract is renewable based on performance in the series and in the 2016 Olympics. Their contract can be comfortably renewed if the boxers finish in top four in their categories in the series or if they win any medal in the Brazil Olympics.

Kenya has a chance to have more boxers in the series in the future but his depends on the boxers individual performances at international events.