Zarika in a thrill of night battle: The contest brings back memories of Conjestina Achieng

Zarika Fatuma fight Flora Machela from Tanzania during the boxing event dubbed "Bigger than life" at Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi,Kenya on February 18, 2017. Fatuma won on a TKO. Photo/Stafford

Zarika in a thrill of night battle: The contest brings back memories of Conjestina Achieng

Big show as top guns fight for supremacy at Carnivore Grounds tonight.

After training in Las Vegas, USA, World Boxing Council (WBC) super bantamweight champion Fatuma Zarika is oozing pure class and ready for Catherine Phiri of Zambia in a fight at Carnivore Grounds in Nairobi tonight.

The fight that kicks off at 11pm brings to fore memories of former WBC middleweight female pugilist Conjestina Achieng during the peak of her boxing career.

Zarika, who jetted back from USA last week, looks determined to upstage the Zambian even after failing to defend her title against Jamaican Alicia Ashley in the US. This was after WBC intervened against a promoter who failed to pay her past fight money.

of former WBC middleweight female pugilist Conjestina Achieng

WBC then lined up the bout against Phiri, a former world bantamweight champion in Nairobi. Zarika now has her new Las Vegas based manager Ejay Mathews of Larger Than Life Entertainment Group, who exposed her to the state-of-the-art gyms.

Despite coming to fight Zarika in her home ground, Phiri is buoyed by her victory against Tanzanian Flora Machela in July only that she lost the bantamweight title early this year to Mexican Mariana Juarez on a technical knockout on her penultimate fight. Phiri is expected to push Zarika to the last round of ten fight.

Zarika, who is beaming with confidence said: “I’m a fighter and entertainer and have shaken off disappointments of fight cancellation in the US and looking forward to win this one”. Zarika has lined up in 42 professional fights – won 29, lost 12 and drew (29-12-1).

Kenya Professional Boxing Commission has lined up seven other fights to curtain raise the big show.

First on the ring will be Michael Odhiambo of Kenya in a featherweight clash against Tanzania’s Amos Mwamakula in an eight round clash at 7pm.

And then the African Boxing Union super lightweight title fight between Kenya’s Consolata Musanga against Anita Basheel of Malawi before American Carl Davis Junior takes on Mbaruku Kheri of Tanzania in a heavyweight bout.

Cosmas Cheka of Tanzania will then face off with Kenneth Kidega of Uganda in an eight round super featherweight clash.

Former Amateur Professional Boxing (APB) middleweight pugilist Rayton Okwiri has a date with Imani Daudi of Tanzania.