Okwiri set to face Uganda's Lukyamuzi in Nairobi

Kenya's Rayton Okwiri and Meshack Mwankemwa (left) of Tanzania in the middleweight division to claim the Ultimate Glory Fight title at Charter hall, Nairobi. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

World Boxing Federation (WBF) Africa middleweight champion Rayton Okwiri will face Uganda's Kenneth Lukwamizi in a World Boxing Council (WBC) East and Central Africa super middleweight title fight in Nairobi on October 10.

Okwiri, a former Africa Boxing Union super middleweight champion, said he was ready for the fight after a long lay-off.

He admitted never having met the Ugandan boxer before but was fit and ready for the match.

“This is a very crucial match to me having had no matches this year. It’s a match that I must win so that it prepares me for more serious assignments in future,” Okwiri told Standard Sports.

The boxer said he had taken his training sessions seriously for the few weeks he was under a new coach in readiness for the epic match.

“The match is crucial to me as I prepare for more of such matches in future either in regional or continental professional matches. I’m taking every step seriously as the big day approaches,” said Okwiri, whose last professional engagement was last year in Mauritius.

In Mauritius, Okwiri defeated Zimbabwe's rising star Freeman Mabvogwe on unanimous points decision in a non title fight in September.

Okwiri has been training under the tutelage of former national team coach Patrick Maina who prepared the boxer in his early days.

Maina has been training Okwiri for the last six months as a professional boxer.

Maina is the same coach who handled Okwiri when he ventured into Amateur Professional Boxing in 2015 at a time he was ranked the second best boxer in the world.

“I’m proud of him (Maina) having handled me before as a semi-pro boxer during my amateur career and now in the paid ranks,” he said.

Okwiri said he was through with the signing of his contract with the promoters.

“Morale is high on my part having signed valid contracts for the fight with my promoter. For now, I’m focused on the big day,” he said.

Between the two fighters, Okwiri stands out as the inexperienced with nine fights to his credit against Lukyamuzi’s 16.

Owiri has won nine times (with seven knockouts), a loss and a draw, while Lukyamusi has had seven wins, eight losses and a draw.