• Munuhe spoke after the governing body unveiled the 2023 calendar of events, which will energise the local scene beginning this Thursday.
• Duncan Kuria, BFK's communications director, revealed that the Youth and Junior Championships will set the season in motion between January 5 and 7.
Image: FILE
Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) secretary general Dave Munuhe hopes the upcoming season will be free of the challenges that plagued them last year.
Munuhe spoke after the governing body unveiled the 2023 calendar of events, which will energise the local scene beginning this Thursday.
The BFK honcho listed a slew of roadblocks to some of the ambitious plans they had for the country in the preceding season.
"The Covid-19 outbreak dealt us a major blow because our schedule was severely disrupted," Munuhe said.
He pleaded for financial assistance to save Kenyan teams that are unable to honour fixtures.
"Due to financial constraints, the Hit Squad failed to honour international assignments and local teams also failed to compete in the national league," Munuhe said.
"For example, our team did not compete at the World Youth Championships, which is a challenge because many of them have outgrown the category."
Duncan Kuria, BFK's communications director, revealed that the Youth and Junior Championships will set the season in motion between January 5 and 7.
"This will be followed by the National Novice Championships in Nairobi on February 2-4 and the National Intermediate Championships in Kajiado on March 2-4," Kuria presumed.
The Africa Zone Three Boxing Championships, slated for March 16-22 at a venue to be announced later, will be Hit Squad's first opportunity this year to test their mettle on the international stage.
Kenya finished second to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Kinshasa last year.
"Kenya is expected to send a team to the ANOCA Africa Youth Championships, which will also be held in March," Kuria hinted.
Later that month, the IBA World Women's Boxing Championships will be held in New Delhi, India. The focus will then shift back to the local scene for the Kenya Open Championships, which will be held in Nairobi from April 6-8.
"The tournament will provide our coaches with an excellent opportunity to identify a team for the World Boxing Championships, which will be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, between May 1 and 14," Kuria said.
Kuria said the Confederation of Africa Boxing will announce the venue for the Africa Cup of Nations Boxing Championships in July.
"Slovenia will then host the Golden Belt Series in July, followed by the 13th All Africa Games and Olympic Qualifiers in Accra, Ghana, in August," he said.
International Boxing Day will feature in Nairobi on August 26-27. The first leg of the National Boxing League will then take place in Vihiga on September 14-16.
Next up will be Machakos on October 12-14, followed by Nakuru between November 2 and 5). Nanyuki will host the fourth leg on November 23-25, ahead of the grand finale in Kisumu on December 7-8.
Kenya Police are the national champions and will hope to repeat the feat this year with a third consecutive title.