• The event runs from April 30 to May 14 with a star-studded ensemble of boxers drawn from all five continents punching ferociously for titles and honors in the cutthroat bouts.
•He, however, said they have been overtaken by events and have a lot of catchups to do after arriving late for the championships.
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Hit Squad head coach Dave Munuhe has said they will mercilessly unleash all their arsenals on opponents as they frantically seek to assert authority at the IBA World Boxing Championships in Uzbekistan.
The stellar Kenyan contingent set foot in the land-locked South Asian country on Monday for the premier global boxing bonanza that officially opened its doors at the Humo Arena in Tashkent on Sunday.
The event runs from April 30 to May 14 with a star-studded ensemble of boxers drawn from all five continents punching ferociously for titles and honors in the cutthroat bouts.
"We had a good trip from Kenya. We traveled on Sunday night, made a stopover in Dubai, and arrived here on Monday," Munuhe said.
He, however, said they have been overtaken by events and have a lot of catchups to do after arriving late for the championships.
"We arrived late and couldn't attend several functions such as the technical meeting, the official draw, and the opening ceremony. We are also running up and down to complete the process of accreditation."
Despite the glaring hitch, Munuhe has pledged positive results even as Kenya embarks on an ambitious plan to end a prolonged medal drought in major international competitions.
"That notwithstanding, we are already in the country and we thank God for that. The lads are in high spirits and ready for the task ahead.
"We are aware that the draw has already been conducted and three of our boxers will be stepping into the ring on Day One of the championships."
Heavyweight pugilist Joseph Shighali was due to open Kenya's account ahead of bouts involving Hezron Maganga (cruiserweight) and Edwin Okongo (Middleweight) later in the day.
Kenyan boxers are eager to make their presence felt on the global stage after a horrendous run in recent years.
Stephen “Steve” Muchoki was the first Kenyan to bag a medal in the event when he secured the silver medal at the inaugural World Boxing Championships in Cuba.
He went ahead and bagged the world title at the 1978 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Belgrade. Gold medallists at the event will pocket a whopping $200,000, with silver medallists receiving the previous champion's purse of $100,000 and bronze medallists taking home $50,000.
The prize money was introduced during the 2021 Men's World Championships and 2022 Women's World Championships as an incentive for boxers to perform well at the highest level of amateur sport.
They will compete for medals in 13 weight categories, which were approved by the Board of Directors of the International Amateur Boxing Association (IBA) in July 2021.