Magori knocked out cold as Kaloleni win

NAKURU BOXING Lemid Thiong'o of Nakuru Boxing Club (in red) trade punched with Peter Githingi of Kaloleni during the Jamhuri day boxing Challenge tournament,Thiong'o won 2-1 PHOTO:BONIFACE THUKU

Kaloleni Boxing Club defeated Nakuru ABC 16-13 points to win the Jamhuri Boxing Championships at Madison Square Garden in Nakuru over the weekend.

In one of the surprise matches of the day, the match referee failed to save Geoffrey Magori of Nakuru against Benjamin Askoyo's fierce punches. Askoyo ended up winning it on a technical knock-out in the second round.

Askoyo overwhelmed his opponent in the first two rounds and the referee failed to read the signs that  Magori was unable to proceed with the fight even after surviving two mandatory counts.

Boxing Association of Kenya Rift Valley branch chairman S.K. Njoroge promised to look into the issue of referees and judges.

“We have very few referees and judges in the branch, but the federation is urgently addressing the matter to avoid such incidents,” said Njoroge.

Magori fell unconscious and it took the tournament officials close to 30 minutes to resuscitate the boxer.

A total of 10 bouts were played with both teams winning five matches apiece but Kaloleni won by  virtue of fielding more boxers in the 10 bouts.

The tournament was sponsored by prominent motor dealer John Mwago of General Motors and lawyer Juma Kiplenge.

Nakuru missed their top boxers, who include former national lightweight champion John Kariuki and middleweight sensational Patrick Maina.

Kaloleni boxers who won were light flyweights David Mwangi and Peter Kabiro, lightweights Michael Ngugi and Kamlus Juma and lightheavyweight Benjamin Askoyo.

Mwangi (David) defeated Abdullah Gitahi of Nakuru 2-1, Kabiro (Peter) knocked out team-mate David Njuguna, Ngugi (Michael) beat team-mate Joseph Oloo, Juma (Kamlus) knocked out Vincent Tumwine of Nakuru and Askoyo knocked out George Magori in the second round.

On their part, flyweight Lemid Thiong’o of Nakuru dispatched Peter Githingi of Kaloleni 2-1, bantam Jeremiah Abuko of Nakuru defeated Moses Maina of Kaloleni 2-1 and Bryan Gwaro of Nakuru hit Ben Oluoch of Kaloleni 2-1 in the lightweight category.

Fredrick Odhiambo of Nakuru knocked out Isaack Kibe of Kaloleni in the welterweight as Mustafa Slim of Nakuru dismissed Daniel Owino of Kaloleni in the middleweight.