Kenyan Boxers Knocked Out of World Boxing Championships, Karanja the Last to Fall

All Kenyan boxers have been eliminated from the IBA men’s World Boxing Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. David Karanja was the last Kenyan standing before his elimination by the 2021 world bantamweight champion Tomoya Tsuboi of Japan in the flyweight round of 16.

Despite putting up a good fight, Karanja was simply outclassed by his Japanese opponent who won by unanimous points decision (30:27, 29:28, 30:26, 30:27, and 30:27).

Kenya had eight boxers in the competition, including Boniface Mogunde, Abednego Kyalo, Shaffi Bakari, Joseph Shigali, Edwin Okong’o, Robert Nehemiah Okaka, and Hezron Maganga Sabat.

The total prize money for the tournament is $5.2 million, with the 13 winners in each category receiving $200,000 each. Silver medalists will receive $100,000, while bronze medalists will get a $50,000 prize.

However, the disappointing performance at the World Championships, Kenya is looking forward to the postponed Africa Zone Three Boxing Championships in Tanzania, which is yet to be given a new date, as well as the Africa Cup of Nations Boxing Championships, to be hosted in July at a venue to be announced later by the Confederation of Africa Boxing (CAB).

In addition, Kenya will take part in the International Boxing Day in Nairobi on August 26-27, which will mark the start of the National Boxing League on September 14-16 in Vihiga County.

The second leg will be held in Machakos on October 12-14, followed by the third leg in Nakuru from November 2-4. The fourth leg will be held in Nanyuki on November 23-25, with the final round of the league scheduled for December 7-8 in Kisumu.