KBA prepares for big fight day in Kenya

Benson Gicharu with his daughter at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after returning from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on August 5, 2014. FILE PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

What you need to know:

  • According to KBA chairman, fight is aimed at raising funds to help improve lives of boxers.

The Kenya Boxing Association is organising a major fight day in April that will see the country’s top boxers — Rayon Okwiri, Benson Gicharu and Nickson Abaka featuring.

According to KBA chairman John Kameta, the fight is aimed at raising funds to help improve the lives of the pugilists as well as promote sports tourism.

Addressing reporters in Nairobi on Wednesday, Kameta said that Kenyan pugilists have for long lived in squalor after hanging their gloves.

He said that measures must be put in place to ensure they led decent lives.

‘BOXERS RIDING IN MATATUS’

“I’m talking to sponsors to come on board. We want to have a big fight. Toyota Kenya and Kenya Tourism Board are some of the partners we are looking at. We want to promote sports tourism as well as improve the boxers’ lives and organizing the fights could be an ideal way to start,” he said.

“I don’t want to see our boxers riding in matatus or taxis, but to be able to live good lives, to drive decent cars. They deserve a good life and we are doing all we can to realize this.”

Flanked by Okwiri, Abaka and Gicharu, Kameta said that he was in talks with the car dealer to negotiate a deal that will see winners in the three major fights win a car each.