Budding Kenyan boxers must put their noses to the grindstone a lot more if they intend to fly the country's flag on the global front.
While critiquing the performance of participants at the National Intermediate Boxing Championships in Thika over the weekend, Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) communications director, Duncan Kuria said: “They are undoubtedly promising but must work extremely hard to offer any meaningful challenge to the existing squad. I doubt if they can outmatch them at this juncture.”
The competition — the second on BFK's calendar of events for 2022 — brought together 80 boxers, including 73 men and 7 women who flexed muscles for a wide array of titles.
Kuria observed that although the burgeoning pugilists exhibited great potential to shine in the future, they seemed unripe to step into the shoes of the aging Hit Squad members.
Already seasoned members of the national team have hinted at calling time on their careers after the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games slated for July.
They include Hit Squad captain Nick Okoth and Africa Zone 3 heavyweight champion Elly Ajowi who comprised the quartet that graced the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“The Kenya Open Boxing Championship is around the corner and unless these youngsters burn the midnight oil to sharpen their claws, they will experience a tough patch against their more experienced opponents,” Kuria said.
Unlike the national novices and the intermediate competitions that lock out members of the Hit Squad, the Kenya Open will be a free for all affair.
Kuria, however, said he was pleased to note that fresh talent had emerged from counties previously considered as boxing minnows.
“The fact that we are having boxers from places such as Vihiga, Trans Nzoia, and Machakos speaks volumes about the positive turn the sport has taken in the country in recent years,” Kuria said.
“We are glad that some of the counties even house the BFK branch offices."
Meanwhile, Kuria said Kenya is among the countries that have been invited to participate at a congress of International Boxing Federation in May where the world boxing governing body's new officials will be elected.
“All the member associations have been invited except Russia and Belarus who are both involved in the Ukrainian war,” said Kuria.
