Ramadhan Idd of Tanzania battles Kenyan Javan Buyu in the UBO Intercontinental title fight at the Edge Convention Centre on Saturday night/HANDOUT
Kenya's Javan Buyu and Uganda's Catherine Nanziri have set their sights on world titles after producing devastating knockout victories at SportPesa Boxing Night at the Edge Convention Centre in South C, Nairobi.
Buyu stopped Tanzania's Ramadhan Idd in the second round to claim the vacant UBO Intercontinental lightweight title, adding it to his national lightweight and Pugilistic Syndicate of Tanzania (PST) lightweight crowns. Nanziri needed just one minute and seven seconds to stop Tanzania's Husna Zamba and lift the vacant PST super bantamweight title.
Buyu said the victory was the reward for a carefully executed game plan.
"The fight wasn't easy. It was tough, but it was part of the plan... to pressure him in the first few rounds, maybe up to the fifth, then start boxing with him," he said.
"We watched clips from his previous fights and one thing was certain—he had never been touched on the body. So the moment I started landing punches to the body, he started clinching and getting scared of fighting."
The Kenyan gradually broke down Idd with body shots before ending the contest with a crushing punch to the ribs two minutes and 13 seconds into the second round.
The victory was particularly emotional for Buyu. "It feels great to win the UBO title. Winning in front of my mum was one of my dreams," he said.
He also outlined his ambitions after capturing the biggest title of his career.
"I'd like to thank UFS, SportPesa and promoter Maurice Odera for giving me this opportunity. I want to mentor young fighters and represent Kenya on bigger stages globally."
Nanziri was equally dominant, overwhelming Zamba in their rematch before the referee waved off the contest after a barrage of punches, including a decisive body shot.
"The fight was so easy for me because I prepared so much better and trained hard," she said. Despite the early finish, the Ugandan insisted she had prepared for the full eight rounds. "It wasn't my plan to finish the fight in the first round. I had prepared to go all eight rounds."
With the PST title now added to her Ugandan national, East and Central Africa and Africa Boxing Union belts, Nanziri declared her next target. "I'm now looking forward to the WBC title. I'm so ready."
The undercard also produced several stoppages, with DR Congo's Lucien Botumbe, Kenya's Michael Oduor, Jin Shen and Morocco's Nasro Habib all recording knockout victories.
Musa Najib, Jamal Hathwani, Alice Waiyego, Roman Asefa and Teddy Murimi won on points, as John Juma's scheduled bout against Uganda's Ben Ssababi was ruled a no contest after Ssababi failed his pre-fight medical.
Promoter Maurice Odera believes Buyu is ready for bigger opportunities. "The cream of the crop was Javan Buyu. We are taking him to the world stage. Winning this belt makes him the number one-ranked Kenyan in the division. We are going to take him all the way to a world title," Odera said.
