Kenya national boxing team “Hit Squad” will participate in the 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championship slated for September 22–30 in Humberg, Germany.
Boxing Association of Kenya Executive Committee member John Waweru said they will be entering a full team of 10 boxers depending on the availability of funds.
The World Championships in Germany marks the highlight of the 2017 BAK calendar which will be finalised next week, according to Waweru. The AIBA World Boxing Championships is a biennial amateur boxing competition organised by the International Boxing Association (AIBA), which is the sport’s governing body. Alongside the Olympic boxing programme, it is the highest level of competition for the sport and was first held in 1974 Havana, Cuba.
The number of weight categories was reduced from twelve to eleven in 2003 with the removal of the light middleweight division (−71-kg). In 2011, the weight categories went down to ten with the removal of the featherweight division (−57kg)
According to thelocal calendar, SportPesa Boxing League starts in March and will preceded by the provincial and National Novice and Intermediate championships.
“As is the tradition, we will kick-start our calendar with the Provincial and national novices, then repeat the same for the Intermediate championships. The Inter-provincial championships will be held soon after each leg of the league,” said Waweru.
This year’s league format remains intact in what has over the years seen teams play an open format tournament. But the legs have been increased from five to six to enhance competition and spreading the game to more provincial centres.
The league starts in Kisumu in March and will be followed by rounds in Nanyuki, Nakuru, Machakos and Mombasa. Kenya Police are the league champions after dethroning perennial rivals Kenya Defence Forces earlier in the year.
Other teams expected to grace the league are Omar Kasongo Sports Academy, Prions, Nairobi, Coast, Nakuru, Kentrack, Kisumu, Central and Kenyatta National Hospital among others. OKSA is the newest team in the league and a brainchild of former Kenya international Omar Kasongo.