Major shock as KDF’s Meja arrests policeman Gicharu

Harison Mathuku of Kenya Prisons (left) in action against Shaffi Bakari of Kenya Police during the fourth leg of SportPesa National Boxing League at Madison Square in Nakuru. PHOTO | AYUB MUIYURO |

What you need to know:

  • Meja pounded Gicharu with some telling blows, winning 2-1.

Olympian Benson Gicharu of Kenya Police’s “Chafua Chafua squad suffered a major setback when he bowed out of the fourth leg of the SportPesa National Boxing League by losing to Isaac Meja of Kenya Defence Forces in the quarter finals at the Madison Square Garden on Friday night.

Heading to this match as an underdog, Meja, 24, who represented Kenya in the World and Commonwealth Youth  Championships in 2010 and 2011, respectively, in the United Kingdom and Azerbaijan, pounded Gicharu with some telling blows, winning 2-1.

And as if to prove that his victory against Gicharu was not a fluke, Meja went on to clinch the bantamweight title when he demolished Joshua Mwangi of G44-Soweto in the final, registering a 3-0 victory Saturday night.

“This is a wake-up call for me but I must admit it was a tough match and I must now work hard to redeem myself,” said Gicharu.

He said his game plan failed to click as he applied a lot of defensive style and forgot to go on the offensive.

“God willing, I hope to rectify my mistakes and book a place in the “Hit Squad” because it has always been my dream to win a global medal,” said Gicharu.