Kenyan boxers reigned supreme during the inaugural “Making of a Champion” series, winning five of the six fights at the Safaricom Indoor Arena on Saturday night.
In the night’s main fight, Kenyan Gabriel Ochieng, overpowered his Tanzanian opponent Juma Fundi knocking him out in the third of their 10 round bantamweight bout.
The win saw the 30 year-old Ochieng improve to an 18-3-4 record while the more experienced Fundi dropped to 40-11-0.
The 22 year-old Anderson Sifuna defeated Tanzania’s 19 year-old Hyadan Mchanjo of Tanzania after amassing 230 points against the latter’s 229 in a closely fought 1o-round superfeather fight.
Another Tanzanian, debutant Baraka Mwakasopa fell to his more experienced host in a second round TKO of their eight-round supermiddle weight encounter.
Michael Odhiambo needed a third round TKO to stop his Ugandan opponent Edward Kakembo in a 10-round lightweight bout to improve on his record to 14-5-0 vas the Ugandan dropped 11-2-0.
The only ladies’ bout saw Judy Waguthi emerge victorious in an all-Kenyan encounter against Consolata Musanga.
Waguthi collected 79 points against the losers 73. South African David Rajuli prevented a Kenyan clean sweep as he defeated his host Michael ‘Shaka’ Nyawade on unanimous decision.
Meanwhile, a war of words has erupted between the events organiser, “Bigger than Life Promotions” and Bernard Adie’s coach Julius Odhiambo who wants the pugilist to be paid his full purse despite the cancellation of his fight. This is first against Marcellus Brown and again against former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman.
Adie was allegedly paid Sh30,000 compensation but Odhiambo insists he should be paid the full amount of Sh150,000 “as per the contract.”
Odhiambo has even threatened to approach the United States Embassy if the pugilist is not paid the full amount.
“They have called me for a meeting but I will not attend. I am ready to fight hard on this one. I will present all this to the American Embassy if they don’t pay my boxer,” said Odhiambo.
However, Kenya Professional Boxing Commission secretary Frankline Imbenzi insisted: “There was no clause in the contract stating Adie will be paid the full amount in case the fight did not go on.”