KPBC president Ndolo lands international role

KPBC president Reuben Ndolo. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

The World Alliance Boxing Association (WABA) has appointed Kenya Professional Boxing Commission president Reuben Ndolo as the new Governor of the Commonwealth and Indo-Oceania region.

This means Ndolo will now be in charge of administering British Commonwealth and Indo-Oceania titles in the vast demographic zone.

"I am honoured and happy to inform you that the Board of Directors in its Ordinary Meeting held on September 01, 2023 has approved your name as the New Governor of the Commonwealth and Indo-Oceania region. Your appointment begins forthwith," read part of the letter signed by WABA's Human Resource Management Director Irene Joseph.

"As the Governor of the Commonwealth and Indo-Oceania countries, your mandates will be to manage and guide the new region in the title tournaments, ring officials training, conventions and sponsorship.

"WABA expects a lot of activities and believes that given your vast experience in leadership, boxing will grow quite substantially," the letter added.

The former Commonwealth Boxing Council (CBC) president was equally thrilled with the new four year mandate saying it's a new dawn not only for Kenya but the rest of the world.

"I'm happy that WABA has realised what I did for boxing in my two year tenure as CBC president.
"The world of boxing will now come to Kenya and Africa, we will ensure pugilists in the continent and the regions under my jurisdiction earn good money in fights," Ndolo told Standard Sports.

Ndolo says he will ensure young players in the zone are recruited into the sport with a great chance to earn big money like their counterparts in America.

He has also called upon corporates across the continents to embrace the game for brand visibility, growth and development.

Under his spell at the helm of CBC from 2000 to 2002, Ndolo arguably gave Africa a great opportunity to showcase its boxing prowess to the world.

He was the first CBC Director to bring the AGM outside the United Kingdom to Africa starting in Nairobi in 2000 and then to Accra, Ghana 2004. This could be a great legacy that he left at the CBC as the President as that feat has never been matched by any other CBC President before.

Also during the period, African boxing arguably enjoyed unprecedented grants of equipment, expertise and flurries of boxing stars and celebrities from the Western World.

This was the time when Roy Jones Jr. as the IBF Light Heavyweight Champion of the world landed in Nairobi with a plane full of boxing equipment and other boxing goodies.

African boxers like Sara 'Angel of War' Achieng and others got ample opportunity to fight for several CBC championship belts that enabled them to gain international fame and recognition.