It’s a crowning moment as the fifth and final national boxing league punches off in Mombasa from tomorrow to Saturday.
Boxing Association of Kenya Coast branch Competition Secretary Samson Mtoni confirmed yesterday that the three-day event will be held at the Kongowea Uwanja wa Mbuzi stadium.
“All the arrangements are in place and we expect three days of fireworks as defending champions Kenya Defence Force (KDF) and Kenya Police battle for the crown,” said Mtoni.
The two rivals are separated by three points in favor of KDF and the door is wide open for either of the two to be crowned the 2017 champions.
KDF lead the five-leg league with 82 points while Kenya Police are breathing fire behind with 79 points. KDF won the first, third and fourth legs while Police emerged winners in the second leg.
However, Kenya Police coach Foreman Onyango will not be in Mombasa on holiday to visit historical sites and his focus is to get more points at the coastal city to reclaim the title they lost last year.
Kenya Police will miss the services of super heavy weight Kimanthi Kinoti who opted not to travel to Mombasa for the final leg due to a nagging wrist injury.
KDF Manager Ben Maingi believes they have an upper hand to retain the title for the second year running.
“We have what it takes to retain the title and this is what we shall be going for in Mombasa,” said Maingi in an earlier interview.
According to Mtoni, 16 teams will be in action including third placed Kenya Prisons who have 17 points, Nairobi’s Dallas Muthurwa who are placed fourth with 11 points and fifth placed Kenyatta National Hospital with a point adrift.
Other teams expected to be in action are Coast combined, Kentrack, Mombasa’s Kongowea, Githurai 44, Soweto, Nairobi County, Omar Kasongo Academy, Kisumu, Thika, Kibra, Ndenderu and Nakuru Amateur Boxing Club.
–Ernest Ndunda
