• Just being named in the national team to represent the country is something I always cherish — Abaka
• After hanging up his gloves as a fighter, Abaka was privileged to be ratified as a coach with the KDF boxing team.
When Nick Abaka retired last year just twelve months before qualification for the now postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, many boxing enthusiasts in Kenya were naturally disappointed.
Abaka was arguably the best fighter in the country alongside Nick Okoth and Rayton Okwiri.
But ‘King Abaka’, as many of his fans call him, says he had hang up his gloves at the correct moment.
“I had nothing to prove when I decided to call time on my career. I have achieved it all and I was aging up too,” he explains. “It’s good to leave boxing than boxing to leave you. The most important thing is to leave when your faculties are right.”
Twelve years prior to his retirement, Abaka had clinched a ticket to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. His dreams were, however, shattered in June 2008 when he suffered a broken jaw while representing Kenya at the East Africa Military Games in Uganda.
All that he had worked for since being named in Team Kenya seemed to collapse with that moment.
He would not recover in time to be named in the Hit Squad team for the memorable Games, where the now retired multiple Olympic champion Usain Bolt, rose into a global superstar.
“That was the lowest moment in my life. I can’t explain it though I believe everything in life happens for a reason,” rued Abaka.
The former Valley Bridge Primary pupil and Our Lady of Fatima student learned his ropes as a young boy at the Eddy Papa Mussi club based at the Kariobangi Social Hall.
There, he would train alongside the best fighters of the late eighties and early nineties like professional Athanus Nzau and All Africa Games bronze medalist, the late Steve Mwema.
“The late Mwema was my idol alongside many other fighters I trained with back in Kariobangi when I started off. He used to choose me to assist him in sparring and that was great motivation for me to keep focused and work hard to be as successful as he was in the ring,” the former KDF boxer recounted.
With his career as a pugilist decisively ended, Abaka can afford to enumerate some of his achievements but the most memorable was being called up to the national team for the very first time as a 20-year-old.
“Just being named in the national team to represent the country is something I always cherish. Playing at the Zone Five Championship in 20o5 and being crowned the best boxer, was a top moment for my career too,” says Abaka.
He was also one of the pioneer African pugilists to play Amateur Professional Boxing in the world as well as the first Kenyan to win a bronze medal at the World Military Games. “These are my greatest moments,” he continues.
With Okoth and Christine Ongare having to wait longer to feature at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which have been pushed to next year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Abaka has urged them and others who might feature in the repechage in France, the final round of qualifications to the Tokyo show, to keep their guard up.
“They should stay focused. They need to go an extra mile in training. The more you train, the more you come close to your destination,” he observes.
After hanging up his gloves as a fighter, Abaka was privileged to be ratified as a coach with the KDF boxing team. In his spare time, he dedicates to running his King Abaka Boxing Foundation.
“At the foundation, we are dealing with kids aged between nine and 18 years. Currently, we are working with kids from Kariobangi, Korogocho, Huruma, Dandora and Mathare. The main objective is to create a balance between education and sports among the target population, in addition to shedding light on non-traditional careers,” he explains.
He added: “At the King Abaka Boxing Foundation, we understand that the right guidance and motivation is necessary among disenfranchised youth in order to create well-rounded and well-adjusted individuals. We plan to fill the gap that exists and provide the necessary inspiration tools.”
With boxing recovering after years of decline, Abaka acknowledges that more needs to be done particularly in the professional game where only Fatima Zarika and Okwiri have engaged in high calibre bouts.
“Professional boxing opportunities in Kenya are a little bit wanting compared to other countries but in the amateur ranks, players are coming up well even though the administrators need to work harder on the junior categories to ensure there are quality players to represent the country in the near future,” he notes.
He singled out national and county governments as key to taking the sport to the next level.
“The government is everything. When the government is involved, everything will run smoothly. Let there be social halls at the disposal of individual boxers and teams for training. The government should liaise with Boxing Federation Kenya in taking boxers for buildup tournaments as well as doing seminars for both coaches and boxers to update themselves on the changing dynamics of the sport,”Abaka suggests.
With cases of doping on the rise, particularly in athletics and with high profile stars suffering stiff punishments, Abaka warned boxers against being lured into the vice.
“Only cowards will use drugs. If you don’t believe in yourself, there is no need to take up the sport. So long as you train smart, stay focused and always put God in the lead, there is no need for drugs. Please, stay away from such because they will wreck your reputation,” he warns.
With headline-making videos and news of an imminent return to the ring of legendary heavyweight champions Mike ‘Iron’ Tyson and Evander ‘Real Deal’ Holyfield both of whom are in there 50's, Abaka was adamant that the duo should stay out of fighting even if it is testimonial bouts.
“They have already set a legacy. They have nothing to prove to anyone,” he observes.
“If I was Tyson, I could just chill and mentor young boxers because there is a good part and a bad part of him. He should allow people to learn from him. But not going back to the ring,” he says.
With that statement, it’s clear that Abaka will never consider returning to the ring as a fighter. For ‘King Abaka’ his reign is well and truly over.