Bakari falls to Musyoki in Kenya Open Championships semis

Boxer Shaffie Bakari in action on July 26, 2022 at National Exhibition Centre in West Midlands Birmingham in United Kingdom. [File, Standard]

2019 All Africa Games flyweight champion Hassan Shaffi Bakari is not a happy man after losing his bantamweight semi-final’s match in Kenya Open Boxing Championships at Kaloleni Social Hall, Nairobi yesterday. 

Bakari who boxes for league champions Kenya Police lost to little-known Chris Musyoki of Kenya Prisons on a 3-2 split points’ decision. 

The loss raised eyebrows in the eyes of boxing pundits who questioned Bakari’s future after a string of loses against upcoming boxers for the past two years, the latest being Musyoki after that of Dennis Muthama of Kenya Defence Forces last year. 

Bakari admitted he made a mistake in the third round of the bout, which gave Musyoki the upper hand after a draw in the first two rounds. 

“Yes I was at fault in the third round but that doesn’t mean I’m weak. In fact, the loss is sending me to the drawing board ahead of the boxing-off of the league Championships,” Bakari told Standard Sports. 

Musyoki will face Muthama in the finals today. Muthama beat Emmanuel Otieno of Githurai 44 on a referee stop contest (RSC). 

Despite Bakari’s loss, the policemen still reigned supreme in the semi-finals. 

Policeman Silas Onyango faces Morris Kimani of Kasarani Youth in the minimumweight finals.

Onyango had defeated Wilfred Ouma of Kisumu County on RSC in the third round as Kimani beat Joseph Moses of Nakuru ABC 5-0. 

Sombea’s Ayub Waweru made it to the finals after overcoming Pius Macharia of KDF on RSC Round 2 in the lightweight. 

Macharia had beaten Alloice Vincent of Kenya Prisons in the other semifinal match.