Achieng follows in Zarika's footsteps after win

Sarah Achieng (left) with Edith Soledad Matthysse of Argentina. [Stafford Ondego]

At last, Commonwealth super lightweight champion Sarah Achieng' is the new World Boxing Foundation (WBF) super lightweight champion.

She achieved her long cherished dream of becoming the second female Kenyan professional pugilist to win a world title, after former World Boxing Council super-bantamweight champion Fatuma Zarika.

Achieng' achieved the feat after she outpointed world champion Matthysse Edith Soledad of Argentina in a 10-round fight at Charter Hall in Nairobi on Saturday night, to win the vacant WBF super lightweight title.

The 35-year-old-Achieng' and Zarika are the only two female professional boxers to win world titles in Kenya's professional boxing history.

Zarika lost her world title to Yamileth Mercado of Mexico in Chihuahua in 2019.

That Saturday night match will be one that Achieng' will live to remember. She played her heart out in all the 10-rounds to beat the Argentine who tried to make a comeback in the fifth round but in vain.

The 42-year-old-Soledad found the Kenyan professional pugilist too strong to match.

By winning the title, Achieng' has kept five titles under her belt, a development that could attract corporate sponsorship in her future global international matches.

"Winning my fifth title is my pride and I believe it comes at the right time for women in sports especially after world champion Faith Kipyegon broke two world titles in 1500m and 5000m," Achieng told Standard Sports.

The other four titles are Commonwealth super lightweight, Universal Boxing Organization (UBO) super lightweight, East and Central Africa super lightweight and the National Super lightweight title.