• Despite the suspension imposed by the government on sports,Okwiri revealed he has been training in a personal gym.
• I have been hard at work since the fight was confirmed-Okwiri
Olympian Rayton Okwiri is set to leave for the USA today to finalise preparations for a professional bout against American on May 19.
Okwiri, who returned to amateur boxing in a bid to make Hit Squad team to the Tokyo Olympic Games without success, will be fighting in his favoured middleweight category in a bout promoted by legendary Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions.
Despite the government's ban on sports activities in a move aimed at containing the spread of Covid-19, Okwiri revealed he has been training in a personal gym under coaches Daniel Shisia and David Kiilu.
"I have been hard at work since the fight was confirmed. I have been training individually with the guidance of my coaches (Shisia and Kiilu) which has helped me maintain my focus for my first full professional bout in the US," said the 35-year-old (5-0-1, 4 KOs).
The reigning ABU champion said the disappointment of missing out on a second successive appearance at the Olympics, (he was part of the Hit Squad team to Rio Olympics in 2016) has made him even hungrier to succeed in the paid ranks.
"It was disappointing to miss out on Tokyo but I will use that as fuel to succeed as a professional and this fight is an ideal opportunity for me to show what I am about as a boxer," he said.