Why boxer Gicharu won’t turn pro

BOXING STARS 2014 Commonwealth Bronze medalist Benson Gicharu Nganjiru. 09/09/14. Photo: Jonah Onyango.

Former Commonwealth Games bantamweight bronze medallist and Amateur Professional Boxer Benson Gicharu has ruled out joining professional boxing in Kenya.

Gicharu decried poor pay to local professional boxers, saying he would rather try his luck abroad.

“Going abroad could guarantee better returns than here where promoters exploit boxers,” said.

He said he would change his stance if there are guarantees of better pay.

Gicharu’s revelations come at a time the Kenya Professional Boxing Commission was hoping to meet him after middleweight Nickson Abaka joined the local professional boxing body after the world amateur boxing body, AIBA, abolished Amateur Professional Boxing (APB) Championships late last year.

AIBA abolished APB Championships following withdrawal of several sponsors, which diminished the financial viability of the tournament.

So far, only APB welterweight boxer Rayton Okwiri of Kenya Prisons has crossed over to the paid ranks.

Okwiri is set to face off with Tanzanian Iddi Pialarri in a non-title super welterweight fight next month under the auspices of World Boxing Association with the direct involment of KPBC.