Boxing: Police win first national leg

Former champions Kenya Police amassed 21 points to win the first leg of the National Boxing League as the curtain came down on the three day championships at Madison Square Garden in Nakuru over the weekend.

The policemen opened unassailable 11 points against the defending champions Kenya Defence Forces who posted 10 points after they missed seven of their top stars in light fly Abednego Kyalo, fly Simon Mulinge, bantam Isaac Meja, light Nick Okoth, light heavy Nick Abaka, heavy Fred Onyango and superheavyweight Fred Ramogi, out on military assignments.

 “We’ll make a formidable comeback in the subsequent legs of the league when they’ll all be through with their assignments,” said Nelson Otieno, the KDF Team Manager who stood in for Ben Maingi who is out for military studies.

Kenya Prisons finished third with nine points ahead of Oscar Kassongo Sports Academy (OKSA) finished fourth with five points while Kongowea, Kisumu, Kentrack and Kibra tied on three points as G44 Soweto and Thika also tied on two points.

Hosts Nakuru who presented three boxers in the league championships and Dallas secured a point apiece while Kenyatta National Hospital, Ndenderu and Coast Combined failed to secure a point.

The writing was on the wall for the policemen’s victory after they placed seven of their boxers in the finals but five went ahead to win their bouts.

Those who won their bouts were light flyweight Shaffi Bakari who defeated Martin Maina of Thika 3-0, flyweight Maurice Ochieng who walked over James Mutuli of Coast Combined, bantamweight Martin Oduor who dismissed Steve Ndung’u of of Prisons 3-0, lightweight Ethan Maina who forced Stanley Ogutu of Kentract to retire in the second round and heavyweight Elly Ajowi who punished Julius Atito of Prisons forcing the referee to stop the contest in the second round. [Ben Ahenda]