Kenya’s national men’s boxing team is eyeing a spot in the medal bracket as the IBA World Men’s Championship enters the round of 16.
The team began their quest with cruiserweight Hezron Maganga, who faced off against Russia’s Sharabutdin Ataev as the competition entered day eight in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Maganga expressed confidence in his ability to win, saying, “The coaches have prepared us well for the match, and I am confident that I will win the match against my Russian opponent set for this evening.”
Meanwhile, Shaffi Bakari faced off against Cuba’s Yosvany Veitia Soto, a decorated boxer who is a 2012 Olympian and a 2017 world champion, among other accolades.
Bakari was undaunted by Soto’s experience, saying he had watched his previous fights and had a game plan in mind.
Coach Benjamin Musa acknowledged that the matches were tough, with Shaffi facing a champion from Cuba and Maganga up against a Russian fighter. However, he expressed optimism about the team’s preparation, saying, “We have done our technical preparation well with videotapes, and we are ready.”
