KDF and Police renew league battle in Meru

Africa Zone Three Boxing Championships Nick Okoth in a training session for the 22nd edition of Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England starting on July 30th, 2022.

After a grueling round one of the National Boxing League, defending champions Kenya Police and archrivals Kenya Defence Forces lock horns in the second leg of the league championships on Thursday in Meru.

The two teams who over the years contributed a bulk of their players to the national team are back to their cut throat competition that saw them exchange the league title at will with the only threat coming from former champions Kenya Prisons who are out of the league championships.

The cut throat competition came with competitiveness witnessed in the first leg of the league championships in Kitale two weeks ago.

Police beat KDF with a point to win the first leg, a move that will make the Meru Championships explosive and the fight for the league title commences there.

And KDF will be without their longtime mainstay and national team captain Nick 'Commander' Okoth who has retired and whose position is steadily being taken by lightweight Pius Macharia.

"We are serious on finding our lost glory and therefore determined to continue with our quest to win the league title after a while," said KDF chairman Paul Mung'ori after a superb show in Kitale.

On their part, the policemen are taking every match with the seriousness it deserves and therefore are keen not to lose any valuable points that could see them have a firm grip on the league leadership after the Meru Championships.

"The league championships' title is ours to lose and we'll not lose focus on this," said Police coach John Waweru.

With no international assignments expected soon, all teams are expected to parade their top boxers.