Achieng' eyeing fifth title against Kerwat in the United States

Sarah Achieng (right) fight Malawi's Anisha Basheel at Nairobi's Charter Hall on March, 22. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Commonwealth Games super lightweight champion Sarah Achieng’ is ready to add a fifth title to her collection, six months after she wore the last one in Nairobi.

Achieng’ is expected to fight Tunisian-born German Ikram Kerwat in a 10 round battle for Women International Boxing Federation (WIBF) super lightweight (63.5kg) title in Cleveland, Ohio, on June 11 in USA. She is set to leave for USA on June 7.

Achieng’, who beat Anisha Basheel of Malawi on October 20, 2021 in a 10 round fight to win the Commonwealth super lightweight title, is the national professional lightweight, East and Central Africa featherweight (57kg) champion as well as the Universal Boxing Organization (UBO) super lightweight holder.

The boxer said her promoters are seeking to gets a visa in good time.

 “I am eager to go but the application for visas for the three people who will accompany me to USA is what would delay the fight,” said Achieng’.

A win for Achieng would certainly raise her boxing profile globally. “Winning a world title has been part of my ambition over the years and, from the look of things, I can do it,” she said.

She looks ready for the fight. “No one in our technical bench knows how my opponent plays.”

Achieng has had 16 professional fights with seven knockouts, seven wins on points and two loses.

The38-year-old Kerwat has a record of 19 fights with 11 wins on points with five knockouts and three loses (11-3, 5 KOs).

Her last fight was on March 22, 2022 where she outpointed Tanzania’s Happy Daudi (10-10-1, 5 KOs).