Kenya ready to leave rivals in pain

Kenya's Boniface Mogunde and Alex Kanabi of Uganda in Men Light middle weight 67-71kg category during Africa Zone 3 Boxing Championship at Moi International Sports Center Gymnasium. Oct 22, 2025. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

After past failed attempts, Kenya national boxing team is determined to leave a mark in this year's elite World Men Boxing Championships in Dubai.

They are exuding great confidence after a positive performance at the Africa Zone Three Boxing Championships hosted in Nairobi in October.

The World Championships, which began yesterday, will end on December 13.

Despite facing off with some of the world's best pugilists, the Kenyan playing unit has vowed to give their best to ensure the graph of their performance at the global showpiece goes up from one event to the other.

Kenya Police welterweight (67-69kg) boxer Wiseman Kavondo believes the fight for top honours starts with each boxer in his individual capacity.

"First, we must win matches as individual players. Self belief and confidence should be the ultimate goal and the driving force that should lead each one of us in this fight," Kavondo told Standard Sports.

"We have trained well to the extent it has given us self belief to conquer some of the world best if not not the real champions," he added.

Kavondo, who beat Cameroonian experienced boxer Oumarou Mouhammed in the quarterfinals of the Africa Zone Three Boxing Championships to cruise to the last four to win a bronze medal, said he's ready for action.

"If we could win medals at the Africa Zone Three Boxing Championships, what's the difference in this one? Why can't we repeat the same feat at the global showpiece?" asked Kavondo.

National bantamweight champion Shaffi Bakari, who'll be taking part at the event for the second time, said he went into residential training knowing very well their aim is to win matches against any opponent from any part of the world.

"We are here to win medals. We want to improve on our ratings globally. This means we are serious in this business," said Bakari.

He said their inspiration is drawn from experienced boxers in Africa light middleweight champion Boniface Mogunde and Africa Games middleweight champion Edwin Okong'o, who box for league champions Kenya Police and Kenya Defence Forces respectively.

Mogunde and Okong'o won gold and bronze medals at the Africa Zone Three Boxing Championships respectively.

"These are seasoned boxers and their presence in the team is a source of inspiration to most of us," said Bakari.

Featherweight (57kg) Paul Omondi, who earned his debut in the global showpiece, said his mental acumen is superb to face some of the best players.

"It doesn't matter who's in the squad but what matters is what we have been taught by our experienced coaches," said Omondi.

Head coach Musa Benjamin said his players were in good mood for the event that should prepare them for the Commonwealth Games and Olympics.