Local boxers brace up for action as BFK sets new year's agenda

Speaking on Sunday, BFK communications director Duncan 'Sugar Ray' Kuria said the national novices competition will set the ball rolling between February 16 to 19.

by TONY MBALLA

Africa02 January 2022 - 15:16

In Summary

•The local action will then resume with the youth and junior championships in Nairobi that will target both schoolboys and schoolgirls between April 6 and 9, he said.

•The local boxing fraternity will have to wait until August for another glimpse of action where the county teams will flex muscles at the International Boxing Day tournament on August 26.

Elly Ajowi of Kenya Police (L) trades punches with Abdalla Alembe from Kilifi during the past Kenya Open Championships at Charter Hall.

Boxing Federation of Kenya has officially released its 2022 calendar of events that will witness the return of a wide range of tournaments that were previously suspended following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking on Sunday, BFK communications director, Duncan 'Sugar Ray' Kuria, said the national novices competition will set the ball rolling between February 16 to 19.

“After selection, the top contestants in each of the 13 weight divisions will then proceed to the national intermediate tournament that runs between March 3 and 5,” said Kuria.

“We shall thereafter take a break to concentrate on preparing the national team for the Africa Zone 3 Championship in Tanzania in March and the Africa Boxing Championships tentatively set for April in Cameroon,” said Kuria.

The local action will then resume with the youth and junior championships in Nairobi that will target both schoolboys and girls between April 6 and 9, he said.

“The National Open that will bring together all the local league teams from the 22 counties affiliated to BFK will then be held between April 14 and 16 in Nairobi,” said Kuria.

Squads will be selected to represent the country at the forthcoming Global Cup planned for April and May in Russia. This will be followed by the IBA Women's World Boxing Championship in Turkey between May 6 and 13 before the International Boxing Cup in June.

“The national team will then punch furiously on the bag in readiness for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games between July 28 and August 8,” added Kuria.

The local boxing fraternity will have to wait until August for another glimpse of action where the county teams will flex muscles at the International Boxing Day tournament on August 26.

BFK will then host local teams for the three-day 1st leg league on September 1 in Kitale.

“The national youth competition is set to resume in September ahead of the Under-22 Africa Zone 3 Championships in Burundi in September,” said Kuria.

He said Meru county will host the 2nd leg of the league between October 6 and 8 before the teams travel to Nanyuki for the 3rd leg that will run between October 27 and 29.

“The boxers, who will have made the cut at the national youth championships, will fly the country's flag at the IBA youth men and women championships in November in Spain.”

The 4th leg of the league is set for Mombasa between November 17 and 19.

BFK has planned the inter-counties for December 3 with different counties being drawn together in three pools.

The first pool that will see teams flex muscles in Kisumu has Siaya, Vihiga, Kakamega, Busia, and hosts Kisumu.

The second one has KDF, Nakuru, and Laikipia while Police, Kwale, Mombasa, and Kilifi are lumped together in the pool that will battle in Mombasa.

Nairobi, Kiambu, Embu, Meru, Kajiado, Murangá and Nyandarua will lock horns in Nairobi. The calendar concludes with the 5th leg between December 5 and 12 in Kisumu.