Anyango joins long list of losers at World Championships

Friza Anyango 'Baby Girl' in a training session at Mathare Police Depot, Nairobi. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Debutant welterweight Friza Anyango is a disappointed boxer after her fight against African champion Algeria's Imane Khelif was stopped by Japanese referee Riichi Igarashi.

Igarashi stopped the bout in the first round at a time the Kenyan pugilist seemed ready to continue with the match at Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi, India on Saturday.

"I was still fresh by the time the fight was stopped and I was shocked that it had been stopped by the referee without any substantive reason. She hadn't knocked me out for it to be stopped indefinitely," Anyango told Standard Sports.

Anyango, who plays for Kenya Defence Forces in the National Boxing League, was making her debut at the global championships.

Head coach Musa Benjamin was equally disappointed with the decision.

"I'm very disappointed about this as it is very demoralising to the boxer. It is as if the referee officiated in favour of the Algerian", Benjamin told African Boxing Confederation website.

Anyango's loss brings to eight the number of boxers who have been eliminated from the two week-showpiece.

Kenya sent a full squad of 11 boxers to the competition, being the only African country in the tournament that sent the largest contingent.

Meanwhile, after she defeated Rahman Maganga of Tanzania in a round of 64 match, former Commonwealth Games flyweight bronze medallist Christine Ongare was set to face Eriven Berut of Turkey in the pre-quarterfinals match yesterday night.

Other pre-quarterfinal matches pitted light flyweight Veronica Mbithe against Lorena Valencia of Columbia and light middleweight Lorna Kusa against Fernanda Vasquez of Columbia.

In the quarterfinals, Kenyan captain and Africa Zone Three heavyweight gold medallist Elizabeth Andiego will take on Fariza Shotley of Kazakhstan in the light heavyweight on Wednesday.

Andiego had been given a bye in the pre-quarterfinal matches.