Okwiri, Makawa ready to rumble in WABA title fight

Former Africa Boxing Union super middleweight champion Rayton Okwiri (right) and Shabani Ndora of Tanzania in action during Pocket Rocket night fight at KICC on Jan 15, 2023. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

After defeating Tanzania's Ally Ndaro in a non-title fight in January, former Africa Boxing Union super middleweight champion Rayton 'Boom Boom' Okwiri is now ready for a title fight this time round.

Okwiri, 36, is set to face Chikonde Makawa of Malawi in a World Alliance Boxing Association (WABA) - Africa super middleweight title-fight at Nyayo Stadium on September 9.

The two boxers have never met each other in any of their professional contests in the past and Okwiri is not bothered about that, and for now his focus is to win the match ahead of him.

"My aim is to win this match (against Makawa) and other things will come later. It's the reason why I have stepped up my training sessions with my coaches," Okwiri told Standard Sports.

Okwiri's ambition has been to win a world title before his retirement.

And according to his manager Cliff Mboya, they are doing everything possible to ensure he achieves his dream.

"We have made all the arrangements to ensure Okwiri gets all the necessary support from us and the coaches for him to win the match before we plan ahead for matches that should come soon," Mboya said.

After Okwiri's victory against Ndaro, his record stood at 11 fights for nine wins (with six knockouts), a draw and a loss (9 wins (6KOS), 1 loss, 1 draw).

Okwiri has been training for the past six months under tutelage of two coaches and Mboya said they are working round the clock to ensure the home boy wins the bout in the race for a world title.

"It's our work to ensure Okwiri is in the right frame of mind at all times before and after the match. This is to ensure he goes places in the fight for top honours," said Mboya.

"For the last six months, Okwiri has been under lots of pressure to secure a title fight and we have been working towards that. Since we have now secured this, at least it'll ease some pressure on him."

In his boxing career, Makawa has fought 32 professional fights winning 14 (with four knockouts), losing 17 (with five knockouts) and drawing one.

The Malawian boxer is expected in the country a day or two days before the match for acclimatisation.

Later, the boxers will undergo medical examinations before qualified medical practitioners and weighing-in to be conducted by WABA officials.