Prisons ready to cage Police and KDF in Nakuru

Kenya Police captain Boniface Mogunde in a past training session. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Despite having new boxers, former champions Kenya Prisons are not relenting in their efforts to redeem themselves to regain their rightful place in the league championships in the fight for top honours.

The team is ready to give defending champions Kenya Police and Kenya Defence Forces a run for their money with an aim to finish at the medal bracket at the third leg of the National Boxing League boxing-off at Madison Square Garden in Nakuru this afternoon.

Head coach Bernard Ngumba said his young players are anxious and ready for the moment with an intention to win crucial bouts against the best this time round.

"It has not been easy for us after years of not recruiting substantial young boxers. We are on the right trajectory having brought on board new boxers recently," Ngumba told Standard Sports.

Police and KDF lead the table standings and whoever wins this leg could win the title with only two legs remaining before the conclusion of the league championships.

Police are on top with 55 points ahead of KDF 47, Nairobi County 18 and Prisons fourth with 11 points.

Though the warders missed the second leg hosted in Siaya two weeks ago, Ngumba said they are determined to regain their rightful place.

"Such predicaments only make us stronger and we are determined to give our best in this time round," he explained.

Police captain Boniface Mogunde said there's nothing that will stop them clinching the league title for a sixth time in a row this season.

"We are taking one leg at a time as we have enough ammunition to go past our opponents," Mogunde who's Africa Boxing Championships light middleweight silver medallist said.

National coaches are hoping KDF will field national super heavyweight champion Fred Ramogi who missed the first two legs owing to what KDF Boxing Club chairman Paul Mung'ori described as domestic commitments.

"We hope we'll have him this time round because we are using the league matches as selection trials for the two squads to feature in the World Olympic Qualifiers in Italy and Thailand next year," said head coach Musa Benjamin.

He warned that if Ramogi misses Nakuru leg, he'll automatically be dropped out of the two global squads.

"We need all fairness in selecting the two squads and this is why we need all experienced boxers to take part in the league matches," Benjamin pointed out.