Five Kenyan boxers have qualified for the finals of the Africa Zone 3 Championship that will be held this afternoon in Kinshasa, DRC.
A strong contingent of sixteen Kenyan Hit Squad members left the country early Sunday morning for the Africa Zone 3 Boxing Championship that officially kicked off on Monday evening.
Tokyo-bound Christine Ongare is the only female Kenyan boxer to have secured a berth in the finals after Stacy Ayoma (lightweight), Elizabeth Akinyi (welterweight) and Elizabeth Andiego (middleweight) fell by the wayside.
She will be trading punches with Munga Zalia of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 51kg category.
Captain Nicholas Okoth will be in action against Tchouta Mbianda of Cameroon in the 57kg category.
Like Ongare, Okoth is using the stage to limber up for the Tokyo Olympics in July. He crushed two of his opponents and earned a bye in his final bout on Thursday after his challenger failed to show up.
Another Kenyan, David Karanja will be flexing muscles with Mungu Biakulolowa of DRC in a 52kg bout.
Boniface Mugunde has a date with Kayla Engulu of DRC in the 69kg category.
It will be interesting to see how Elly Ajowi fairs against Yegnong Maxime of Cameroon in the battle of the heavyweights.
Other boxers in the Kenyan contingent include Shaffi Bakari (flyweight), Martin Odour (featherweight), Victor Odhiambo and Joseph Shigali (lightweight), Edwin Okong'o and Cosby Ouma (middleweight), Hezron Maganga (light-heavyweight) and Joshua Wasike (heavyweight)
