How Kenyan boxers are shining in professional fights abroad

Kenya's Sarah Achieng' punches Edith Soledad Matthysse of Argentina during their World Boxing Foundation (WBF) Women's World Super lightweight title bout at Charter Hall, Nairobi on June 10, 2023. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

After graduating to professionalism from an illustrious amateur career, several Kenyan boxers have kept the fire burning recently winning a number of titles abroad in different continents in their (professional) fights.

First came former national bantamweight champion Brian Agina followed by the Dubai-based lightweight Nick 'Makaveli' Mwangi.

Agina is the new Australian super-flyweight champion while Mwangi is the reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) Asia lightweight champion.

Agina defeated Pakistan's Syed Asif on unanimous points' decision on September 16, in Melbourne as Mwangi knocked out Nutthakom Sungsevee of Thailand in the third round in a six-round non-title lightweight fight in Bangkok on September 30.

The two victories revamped Kenya's image abroad while inspiring a number of amateur boxers into professionalism, a good example being former national middleweight champion Elizabeth 'Jaber' Akinyi.

"My opponent was a tough and stubborn fighter who was not accurate on target but did not easily surrender in a match. I was too good for him, especially in this one," Agina who is now an Australian citizen told the Australian press.

With that victory, he stretched his unbeaten run to three fights (with one knockout) while Asif has dropped to seven wins, one defeat and two knockouts.

On his part, Mwangi stretched his record to 18 matches with 11 wins (with seven knockouts), six loses and a draw (11-6-1), while the Pakistani dropped to three wins, five loses and no draw (3-5-0).

Mwangi won the WBA Asia title in 2021 after knocking out the previously unbeaten Sachin Dekwal of India in the seventh round having been earlier beaten by Tanzania's Emmanuel Mwakyembe in Dar es Salaam in September 2022.

The two victories came at a time former Commonwealth super lightweight champion Sarah Achieng' had won a world title to become the new World Boxing Foundation (WBF) super lightweight champion.

Achieng' outpointed world champion Matthysse Edith Soledad of Argentina in the 10-round fight at Charter Hall in Nairobi on June 11,2023.

What followed later saw former national middleweight champion Elizabeth 'Jaber' Akinyi cross over to the paid ranks, winning her first match against Lucy Macho of Tanzania in a middleweight non-title fight at Nyayo Stadium on September 12.

"I'm here for serious business and ready to win more fights," Akinyi said after the win.

That was after World Alliance Boxing Association (WABA) Africa supreme middleweight champion Rayton Okwiri had beaten Chikonde Makawa of Malawi on points' to lift that title.

Okwiri extended his wins to 10 (with six knockouts), a draw and loss from 12 matches. (12-10-1-1).

However, little has been heard about Dennis 'Billabong' Okoth who is boxing in Silver Spring, Maryland in the United States of America. He has so far played 10 matches.

Okoth's record stands at four wins, five loses and a draw.

Born on August 13, 1993, Okoth who plies in the welterweight and has an orthodox fighting style, had his last fight on December 18, 2020 against Reshat Mati, which he lost on a knockout at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood.