National boxing team will have trials in Nakuru
Boxing
By
By BEN AHENDA
| Aug 21, 2013
By BEN AHENDA
Madison Square Garden in Nakuru will stage national amateur boxing trials on August 29-31.
The selected team will represent the country at the World Boxing Championships in Kazakhstan from October 11-27.
Amateur Boxing Association of Kenya (ABA-K) is determined to send a full team of ten boxers to the championships and teams taking part in the national league have been invited to send their puggilist for the contest.
ABA Secretary General Isaac Mbote said they are now concentrating on the global competition instead of the African Boxing Championships which has been put off after host country Mauritius declined to stage it. The continental championships were set for Port Louis from September 1-7.
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African Boxing Confederation must now shop for an alternative host before the end of next month.
Mbote said he has written to International Amateur Boxing Associations (AIBA) to advise them on the next course of action.
All teams that were to feature in the continental championships are now in a dilemma if the global body will allow them to travel to Kazakhstan for the World Championships.
According to AIBA rules, countries must first compete in continental championships to select their teams for the global competition.
Focus ahead
“This will, however, not deter us. Our selections for the global championships will have to continue,” said Mbote.
He asked all teams taking part in the league to step up training ahead to have sharp boxers for the trials.
In the meantime, the Rwandese Boxing Championships, which was set for Kigali this week will be held next month.
ABA said Rwanda had requested for more time before it can announced appropriate dates for the championships.
Competition secretary Patrick ‘Mont’ Waweru said they will have to wait for a formal communication from Rwandese Boxing Federation before selecting a team to the event which has attracted four countries.
They are hosts Rwanda, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi.