Sarah Achieng' leaving nothing to chance ahead of WBF title fight

Sarah Angel of War Achieng of Kenya fight Edith Soledad Matthysse of Argentina during their World Boxing Foundation (WBF) Womens World Super lightweight title bout at Charter Hall, Nairobi on June 10, 2023. Achieng was crowned champion on unanimous points decision. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

World Boxing Foundation (WBF) super lightweight champion Sarah 'Angel of War' Achieng' has promised not to let her fans down when she defends her global title tomorrow.

Achieng', who will fight Fericho Mashauri of Tanzania in defending the WBF title, is serious about this when doing so for the first time since she won it against Edith Solidad of Argentina on June 10, 2023, in Nairobi.

Her promoter, George Adipo, confirmed this development after failing to secure an opponent for close to two years, which would have increased her chances of being stripped of the title.

A boxer has a time frame of six months to defend the title from the time it's won, according to WBF rules.

However, Achieng' was shielded from this owing to a nagging injury she had suffered from a different encounter altogether.

"She'll defend her global title but not any other, having missed it a number of times owing to several different reasons. However, we are happy the match has now been fixed," he told Standard Sports.

Weighing in and medical check-ups are expected this morning at Red-Room, Yaya Centre, Nairobi, which is the venue of the match tomorrow.

As was in yesteryears, Achieng' has promised not to let her fans down when playing at home.

"This is good news to me, and I must thank Almighty God for this first chance to defend the global title that came in a hard way. I'm ready not to disappoint when fighting at home," she pointed out.

The result of the match is expected to change her fortunes in the chase for global honours, and the boxer is aware of the task lying ahead of her as she faces an opponent she's never met before in her professional career.

"I have never met her (Mashauri) in my bouts before, and winning this one should shape my career in the world of professional boxing," she said.

Achieng' boasts of 19 fights (with nine knockouts) and two losses, while Mashauri has fought 20 times, winning 11 times (three knockouts) and losing eight times (with three knockouts) and two draws.

The Kenyan boxer is aged 38, while Mashauri is 27 years old.

Achieng', who trains under the tutelage of Alfred 'Priest' Analo, said her training has been going on well for the past eight weeks.

"I have trained on well for close to two months when we concentrated on power and stamina as we avoided injuries on my part. I'm happy all went well from the time I started all these processes," said the boxer whose last match was against Martha Akinyi of Uganda in a non-title fight in August in Nairobi that she won.