Kenya national men's team picked for elite world Championship in Dubai championship

Kenya's Peter Abuti (right) and Njinnou Mouandat in Men heavy weight 88-92kg category at Moi International Sports Center Gymnasium. Oct 22, 2025. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

All medallists in the recent Africa Zone Three Boxing Championships have been included into the squad that's headed for the Elite World Men Boxing Championships in Dubai from December 2-13.

The boxers include captain and Africa light middleweight champion Boniface Mogunde, who won a gold medal in the regional championships and flyweight (51kg) gold medallist Silas Onyango who shifts to the minimumweight (48kg).

The silver medallists are cruiserweight Chris Ochanda and heavyweight Peter Abuti, while national light heavyweight Robert Okaka returns to the global event for a second time same with Africa Games middleweight champion Edwin Okong'o, who won a bronze medal at the regional championships.

Bantamweight Shaffi Bakari returns to the global competition for record third time even as super heavyweight Clinton Macharia makes his debut.

Kenya will send a squad of 13 boxers to the global championships. In the squad, eight boxers are making their debut at the global championships.

They are Onyango (Silas), flyweight Kelvin Maina, featherweight Paul Omondi, lightweight Washington Wandera, light welterweight Caleb Wandera, welterweight Kavondo (Wiseman), cruiserweight Chris Ochanda and super heavyweight Clinton Macharia.

Head coach Musa Benjamin said the team is in good spirits and is out to do their best in order to improve on their previous performance in the same event.

"Players are in good spirits and each one is expected to give his best in all their weights so that performance in every global championships improves from one year to the other," Benjamin told Standard Sports.

The team has been training at Mathare Police Depot in Nairobi after its final selection during the last leg of the league championships that ended United Church Hall in Kisumu last weekend.

"We were careful in this selection as the assignment ahead of us is enormous. Therefore, we had to come up with a team that was equal to this task after the Africa Zone Three Championships," he said.

Four boxers were selected as reserve players who will be assisting the main team in sparring during their training sessions.

They are flyweight Emmanuel Chondo, bantamweight Dennis Muthama, featherweight Kombo Mwinyi and heavyweight John Oyugi.