Maganga bags Kenya's first win at World Boxing Championships in Uzbekistan

Hezron Maganga gestures after winning at the World Men's Boxing Championships in Uzbekistan. [Courtesy]

The victory of heavyweight Hezron Maganga ended Kenya's 10-year drought at the ongoing World Men's Boxing Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Maganga registered a unanimous points victory over Tetoofa Henere of France in the 80-86kg cruiserweight fight in the round of 32.

Maganga, who's a son of former Kenyan international heavyweight Fred Sabat, cruised into the pre-quarterfinals following the win..

Kenya's last win at the global championships was when professional middleweight boxer Rayton Okwiri outpointed Erkin Bolotbek of Kyrgyzstan in the opening round before he lost to Fred Evans of Wales in a pre-quarters match at the 2013 World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Eight boxers are representing Kenya in the showpiece that has attracted 27 African countries.

They are minimumweight Abednego Kyalo, flyweight David Karanja, bantamweight Shaffi Bakari, light-welter Joseph Shigali, light-middleweight Boniface Mogunde, middleweight Edwin Okong'o, light-heavyweight Robert Okaka and cruiserweight Hezron Maganga.

A total of 31 African boxers have so far won their fights with the number of losses rising to 54 at the end of the fifth day.