Skipper Blackmoses Mathenge led from front on Wednesday evening to guide five Kenya Defence Forces pugilists to the finals of the ongoing Fifth Africa Military Boxing Championship in Algeria.
Interestingly, the five Kenyans now face boxers from hosts Algeria in their respective categories in the battle for gold medals.
Mathenge booked his berth in the final after easing past Finamo Patrick of Democratic Republic of Congo in welterweight category.
Home boxer Belhout Houcine now stands between Mathenge and the continental glory in one of the finals that were due Thursday evening.
Stylish Africa champion Nick Okoth, tantalising Isaac Meja, explosive Fredrick Onyango and hard-punching Simon Mulinge taught their opponents some boxing lessons to also get a final stab for gold medals at the Northern Africa country.
However, Abednego Kyalo, Nick Abaka and Victor Odhiambo will now settle for bronze after they lost their semi-final bouts.
Meja contained his opponent Bakhta El Mahdi from Morocco in the semi-finals of the bantamweight showdown. Meja is now up against home boy Litim Khalil in the final.
Onyango was in a class of his own when he sent clear indication of his intention to clinch gold, demolishing Bado Benjamin of Burkina Faso in heavyweight.
Onyango will also face Algeria’s Pembouabeka Lauryn Yanick in the final.
Flyweight Mulinge powered to the final in style after he sent Moutasetr Bouali of Tunisia twice to the canvas before winning. Mulinge now meets Algerian Morodjane Oussama in the final.
Okoth proved why he is still the man-to-beat at lightweight when he saw off Sylla Alseny of Guinea. Okoth braces up for Benlaribi Abder-Eddine of Algeria in the final.
However, Kyalo lost to to Touareg Mohammed from Algeria in his light flyweight contest as Edwin Okongo put up a spirited fight before going down to Boukhili Nabil of Tunisia in middleweight.
Abaka and Odhiambo fought bravely, before going down to Houmri Mohammed and Abdelli Yahia all of Algeria in light heavyweight and light welterweight respectively.
The hosts have 10 boxers in the finals while Kenya have five. Tunisia has two while Morocco, Guinea and DR Congo have one boxer each in the finals.
Kenya Defence Forces Boxing Association (Defaba) chairman Lieutenant Colonel Paul Mung’ori hailed his charges for putting up a splendid show.
–ALLAFRICA.COM
