Boxing: A bagful of international events awaits Kenya in 2023

Chrispine Ochanda of KDF vs Silas Masake of Police in the Light Heavy Weight (80Kgs), during the final leg of the National boxing League at Nakuru Madison square garden. [Harun Wathari, Standard]

After a mixed performance last year, Kenya hopes to learn from their past dismal performance to improve on her ratings in crucial international championships that await her this year.

As Kenya hopes to take part in nine crucial international championships lined up for her this year, it must come with an improved performance this year.

In all forthcoming international assignments, Kenya should actualise her seriousness to win and make her presence felt on their dream to regain their lost glory and take her rightful place on the global boxing map.

In the first international assignment, Kenya hopes to take part in the Africa Zone Three Boxing Championships on March 16-22 at a venue to be announced later by Africa Zone Three Executive Committee after finishing runners-up behind the Democratic Republic of Congo last year.

The same month (March 2023), Kenya is expected to send a team for the ANOCA Africa Youth Championships at a venue to be known later.

IBA World Women Boxing Championships set for New Delhi, India in the same month (March 2023) will see Kenya field her female squad after International Boxing Association (IBA) communicates the dates of the event.

Another event that Kenya cannot miss is the World Boxing Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from May 1-14.

Africa Cup of Nations Boxing Championships to be hosted in July at a venue to be announced later by Confederation of Africa Boxing (CAB) is a tournament that Kenya cannot afford to miss according to National Boxing head coach Musa Benjamin.

"This is a tournament that assists us to gauge the potentiality of each of our boxers before we decide who fits in which global championships like the Olympics, World Boxing Championships or Commonwealth Games,' Benjamin told Standard Sports.

Slovenia will host Golden Belt Series in July before the 13th edition of All Africa Games cum Olympic Qualifiers in Accra, Ghana in August.

Kenya features in International Boxing Day in Nairobi on August 26-27 which opens doors for the start of the National Boxing League on September 14-16 in Vihiga County.

The last two international championships are Africa Youth Championships and Africa Zonal Championships in September and December respectively.

Boxing Federation of Kenya Communications Director Duncan Kuria said their intention is to take part in all these international assignments with the availability of funds.

"Our intention is to take part in all these international championships and our prayers are for the government to give us funds to prepare these teams to give more players exposure as we need to get where we belong in the international global boxing map," said Kuria.

As was last year (2022), this year (2023) they are still involved in a number of international assignments at the beginning of the year.

"We still have more international assignments early in the year (2023) as was last year (2022) and the only difference is that this time, they (international assignments) are simultaneously mixed with the local championships," he stated.

This year, the local championships are scheduled to start early than last year which will allow national coaches time to pick national squads early for different international assignments.

The first leg of the league championships box-off in Vihiga is on September 14-16, 2023.

The second leg follows in Machakos on October 12-14 ahead of the third leg in Nakuru from November 2-4, the fourth leg in Nanyuki on November 23-25 and the fifth and final leg of the league championships in Kisumu from December 7-8.

Before the league championships, the Youth and Junior Championships open doors the local calendar in Nairobi on January 5-7,2023 followed by National Novice Championships in the same city (Nairobi) on February 2-4 and National Intermediate Championships in Kajiado from March 2-4.

Kenya Open Championships follows in Nairobi on April 6-8.

The international championships facing Kenya in 2023

1. Africa Zone Three Boxing Championships set for March 16-22 at a venue to be announced later.
2. ANOCA Africa Youth Championships in March 2023 at a venue to be announced later.
3. IBA World Women Boxing Championships in New Delhi, India in March 2023.
4. IBA World Boxing Championships to Tashkent, Uzbekistan from May 1-14, 2023.
5. Africa Cup of Nations Boxing Championships in July 2023 at a venue to be announced later.
6. Golden Belt Series in Slovenia in July 2023.
7. All Africa Games cum Olympic Qualifiers in Accra, Ghana in August 2023.
8. International Boxing Day in Nairobi on August 26-27, 2023.

National Boxing League

1. First leg in Vihiga on September 14-16, 2023.
2. Second leg in Machakos on October 12-14,2023.
3. Third leg in Nakuru on November 2-4, 2023.
4. Fourth leg in Nanyuki on November 23-25, 2023.
5. Fifth and final leg in Kisumu from December 7-8, 2023.