All-Africa Games gold medallist Edwin Okongo will renew his heavyweight rivalry with unbeaten Kenya Police’s Bonface Mogunde during the second leg of the Kenya Boxing League starting today at Alliance Française in Nyali, Mombasa.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) boxer, who last fought Mogunde in a closely contested bout during the previous season, said he’s looking forward to another face-off during the event that runs to Saturday.
“We respect each other, but my target is to leverage my experience and win,” Okongo stated, as he prepares to lead the KDF charge against the league leaders.
The event, jointly organised by the Boxing Federation of Kenya and Mombasa County Boxing Association, will feature over 180 elite boxers from 26 clubs nationwide.
Among the standout home talents are Mombasa’s own Kombo Mwinyifaki and Shaffi Bakari, both looking to impress in front of their fans.
“This is a huge opportunity for our boxers to fight on home soil against the best in the country,” said MCBA Secretary, Mohammed Abdalla. “We’ve prepared them well," he said.
The coastal team have been under the tutelage of world-renowned strength and conditioning coaches Franck Petitjean, who is a former European and four-time French champion, and Valentino Gargiulo, who has worked with 20 Mombasa-based elite fighters in the build-up.
Kenya Police lead the standings with 24 points after dominating the first leg in Kisumu, while Prisons remain pointless following their absence.
Notably absent from the opening leg were defending champions Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and former title-holders Kenya Prisons, who will look to bounce back in the competition.
However, their absence paved the way for the Kenya Police to cruise through the opening leg and establish an early lead in their quest to reclaim the title. Last season, the Police team had skipped two rounds, handing KDF the championship.
With the early advantage, the Kenya Police have set the tone for the remainder of the league. The pressure will now be on KDF and Kenya Prisons.
The three-day event in Mombasa will culminate in final bouts starting Saturday at 2 pm, followed by a cultural concert by Malian performers Doucoura. Entry is free. This is more than boxing,” said Alliance Française director Jean-Pierre Lefevre. “It’s sport, culture and community in one.”
