HISTORIC DAY FOR WOMEN’S BOXING

HISTORIC DAY FOR WOMEN’S BOXING

Saturday November 26, 2022, will go down in Kenya’s boxing history as the first time ever an all-female boxing tournament was held in the East African country at the Rising Angel Star Academy, Nairobi.

Young, determined girls from 9 years old demonstrated their boxing prowess in the Equality Cup tournament organized by Boxgirls Kenya, a community-based organization that uses boxing to empower girls and women in the marginalized communities on various activities among them sport promotion, education, reproductive health, self-defense, leadership and mentorship.

Over 30 girls furiously traded leather amidst roaring cheers from an appreciative crowd that included some of Kenya’s top female boxers such as former WBC super-bantamweight champion Fatuma Zarika and Commonwealth super lightweight champion Sarah Achieng who is one of Boxgirts pioneer pugilists. National team head coach Musa Benjamin also graced the occasion and gave away prizes to some of the winners as well as participating in a vibrant discussion on women’s boxing in Kenya.

Not to be left out of this historic day in Kenya boxing, I was there too and teamed up with Sarah Achieng as the ringside announcer flanked by professional boxing referee and judge Linder Achieng Abok.

Among the notable performers were Angel Mutheu of Boxgirls Club, Miriam Mutheu of Mukuru Fight-4-Life club owned by one of Kenya’s top boxers Benson Gicharu, Elizabeth Katoro of King Abaka Boxing Foundation owned by another established boxer Nick Abaka, Janet Malesi of StumDog in Kibra and Harriet Bianca from Kanobangi’s Sosman Club owned by coach Peter Okungu

As expected, Boxgirls Kenya won the Equality Cup by finishing on top with 37 points followed by Mukuru Fight-4-Life 27, King Abaka Boxing Foundation 16, Sosman 8 while Kibra, SiumDog, Thailand and Embakasi tied on two points each.

The most entertaining fight of the day was the light-flyweight bout between Boxgirls’ fast-rising Lencer Akinyi and Mukuru’s youth international trialist Jane Wangari both of whom had fans on the edge of their seats shouting themselves hoarse in this toe-to-toe exchange won on points by Akinyi.

Boxgirls’ stylish flyweight Emily “Ring Princess” Juma put up a brilliant show, carrying the fight to Kibra’s Viviane Atieno who weathered the storm to complete the course. Emily won on points watched by her rival in the ring and friend Veronica Mbithe of KDF.

A proud Alfred Analo aka Priest was in cloud nine watching this historic boxing show and reflecting back on the path to this successful day since 2007 when he founded Boxgirls Kenya

“I’m very proud of this day, this was the first Equality Cup tournament to create awareness on girls’ and women’s rights in sports. I will meet my team to review the event and decide on the way forward,” said Analo Analo, the CEO of Boxgirls Kenya, is also the head coach of the boxing team assisted by one of the pioneer boxers Jane Atieno aka Sonko Msoto,

In addition to Sonko Msoto, other Boxgirls pioneer boxers include Commonwealth super lightweight champion in pro boxing Sarah Achieng aka Angel of War. Everlyn Adero, Judy Waguthil, Florence Muthoni, 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Christine Ongare and Zone 3 light-heavyweight champion Liz Andiego, the first East African female boxer to take part in the Olympic Games in 2012 in London.

Besides the aforementioned, Boxgiris’ other prominent boxers are internationals Stecy Ayoma (who’s also a junior boxing coach) and Beatrice Akoth, Emily Juma (junior boxing coach), Lencer Akinyl and Lillian Achieng aka “Ally Panadol”.

Overall, the well organised all-female Equality Cup tournament was a manifestation of the growing popularity of women’s boxing in Kenya. Each day boxing is seducing more women to take up this sweet science which has improved the lives of a number of boxers from underprivileged families.

Women’s boxing in Kenya was introduced in 1986 by the late popular coach Eddie “Papa” Musi, the founder of Bangladesh Boxing Club in the tough neighborhood of Kariobangi.

Musi assembled seven female students at Guru Nanak Secondary and began coaching sessions every evening at the school where he was a science teacher.

Despite vehement opposition from some Amateur Boxing Association of Kenya officials including national team head coach Peter Mwarangu, Musi was unmoved and continued his coaching lessons to the girls who however didn’t realise their dreams owing to the gender stereotype treatment of women’s boxing at the time.

A big breakthrough finally came in 2010 when for the first time Kenya’s women boxers took part in a major international tournament – World Women’s Championships – In Bridgetown, Barbados. At the time Samson Mugacha was the chairman of the national boxing body.

Nenez Media Services Photo: Commonwealth Games silver medallist Benson Gicharu psyches one of his boxers during Kenya’s first ever all-female boxing tournament held on November 26, 2022 at the Rising Angel Star Academy, Nairobi