Turkey’s Sipai up next for stylish Okwiri in pro boxing
Lion Cup International Boxing championships welterweight gold medalist Rayton Okwiri upon his arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on May 3, 2014. Okwiri, who on October 25, 2014 knocked out Austrian Marcos Nader, will face Turkey’s Onur Sipai on November 2014. FILE PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Okwiri made his professional debut with a bang, shocking top-seeded welterweight Nader who had an impressive professional career record of 18-1-1.
- In next month’s round of the pre-ranking competition, Okwiri will face Turkey’s Onur Sipai, who won unanimously on points against Eimantas Stanionis of Lithuania.
Kenya’s Rayton Okwiri, who on Saturday caused a major upset when he knocked out fancied Austrian Marcos Nader with a devastating right hook in the second round of their six-round AIBA pro-boxing in Baku, Azerbaijan, returned home on Sunday night.
Before he went to Baku, Okwiri was going to be paid Sh440,000 (US$ 5000) regardless of the result of the pre-ranking rounds.
Okwiri made his professional debut with a bang, shocking top-seeded welterweight Nader who had an impressive professional career record of 18-1-1. Marcos was also the reigning European Boxing Union (EBU) belt holder.
In next month’s round of the pre-ranking competition, Okwiri will face Turkey’s Onur Sipai, who won unanimously on points against Eimantas Stanionis of Lithuania.
The pre-ranking phase that features 80 boxers (eight boxers per weight in the 10 categories), will run till January 31. The draw was done on September 17 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
OLYMPIC GAMES
The fight to pick the champion of each group will be an eight-round affair. The International Boxing Association is also using the pre-ranking event as a qualifier for the 2016 Olympic Games.
The 2016 Olympics will see professional boxers fighting opponents from the lower levels, much like in basketball and tennis.
Okwiri’s caoch at Prisons Boxing Club Maurice Maina on Monday said his boxer has taken a short leave to visit his family in Mombasa.
Maina also said he would not feature Okwiri in any local tournament.
He said: “I am not taking any chances with our golden boy. Remember Nick Abaka of the Kenya Defence Forces missed the 2008 Olympics after breaking his jaw in the Military Games in Uganda.”
Maina said that His place Jacob Kimathi will take Okwiri place in the Prison’s squad.”
