Flyweight Mulinge misses Rio Olympics boxing target

road to olympics boxing challenge trials Simon Mulinge (in red jersey) of KDF ABC trade punches with Maurice Ochieng (in blue jersey) of Police ABC in their fly weight category final bout during the road to Olympics boxing championship trials at the Modern Fitness Lounge, January 24, 2016. Mulinge won by points and was among those selected to represent Kenya. [PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

Flyweight Simon Mulinge became the third Kenyan boxer to be eliminated from the ongoing World Boxing Championships in Baku Azerbaijan.

Mulinge lost to Mohammadanpour Sejad of Iran on points. The elimination of Mulinge from the global championships, which are the final qualifiers ahead of Rio Olympics for amateur boxers, was the third for Kenya.

First to be shown the door was light heavyweight Elly Ajowi, who was beaten by Nigerian Sadiq Umar 3-0, before lightweight Nick 'Machine Gun' Okoth lost 1-2 to Ramlars Artjoms of Latvia.

But Kenyan coaches in Azerbaijan feel biased officiating could have been their undoing.

"Our players are losing their matches because of biased officiating and this is not good for African boxers. Unless, an African boxer knocks out his opponent, then points results would never favour them," head George 'Foreman' Onyango said.

So far, only heavyweight Aziz Ali out of the six boxers, who travelled to Azerbaijan, has qualified for the second round of the global championships. Ali defeated Phuzi Arnold Akani of South Africa 2-1.

Yesterday, Ali was to face the winner between Keser Seydo of Turkey and Parents Sergey of Kazakhstan in the second round.

Amateur Professional Boxers boxers in bantamweight Benson Njangiru Gicharu and middleweight Nick Abaka were also expected to compete yesterday.

Gicharu was to face Zambian Emmanuel Ngoma, who dismissed Zendi Krenar of Albania on a split point decision, while Abaka was waiting to face off with the winner between Alvaro Santos De Umapeoro of Brazil and Feraci Devde of Switzerland.