Unstoppable Chafua Chafua clinch Kisumu leg

The Kenya Police boxing team, popularly known as ‘Chafua Chafua’ are the winners of the fifth and final leg of the National Boxing League held at Ofafa Memorial Hall in Kisumu.

Chafua Chafua, second place finishers last year, amassed 23 points to finish top ahead of rivals and fourth leg winners, Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) who tied at position two with Kenya Prisons on 11 points.

Hosts Kisumu finished a disappointing sixth with a point.

Police Coach George Onyango attributed their win to proper selection of fighters, discipline and good preparations.

“We command discipline and that contributed to our victory here, because this game (boxing) is all about how you conduct yourself. We prepared well which led to the right selection of fighters for this leg,” Onyango told Nation Sport in Kisumu.

Police dominated the ten final bouts held on Friday, winning seven.

Shaffi Bakari set a top finish for Police when he overpowered KDF's Abednego Kyalo 2-1 in the light-flyweight (49kg) final to defend his title.

The victory seemed to have motivated his counterpart Ethan Maina as he entered the ring spirits high to take on William Kamau of Prisons in the lightweight (60kg) final.

However Maina stretched Police's win without throwing a blow after Kamau surrendered, perhaps fearing an embarrassment.

KDF's poor run continued in the flyweight (52kg) finals when Dennis Muthama lost his title to Kombo Mwinyi of Kongowea after going down 2-1.

And while Samuel Njau handed the Soldiers a glimmer of hope by winning the bantamweight (56kg) final, they could not challenge Police for the title as that was their last contest, having been eliminated at the semi-final stage of several events held on Thursday.

Police then marched to their title after Joseph Shigali and Boniface Mugude won their light welterweight (64kg) and welterweight (69kg) bouts respectively. Shigali overpowered Antony Maina of Prisons 2-1 while Mugude beat Michael Ochieng' of Kongowea with a similar score line.

It was again a Police affair in the middle-heavyweight 75kg and light-heavyweight 81kg.

Police’s George Cosby dismissed Nairobi’s Remmy 2-1 in the middle-heavy while Humphrey Ochieng' overpowered Joseph Onyango 3-0 in the light-heavy.

Elly Ajowi sealed victory for Police in the heavyweight 91kg category following the disqualification of Collins Nyakwaka of Prison after one of his officials threw a towel inside the ring.

The event’s supervisors ruled no contest in the super-heavyweight finals pitting Prisons' George Owiti and Police’s Tobias Okello.

Boxing Association of Kenya (BAK) acting secretary general Isaac Mbote said that they will convene a meeting in Nairobi to make a decision regarding the declaration of the 2018 overall winner.

“The officials are going to sit it Nairobi to decide on whether we will have an overall winner or not,” said Mbote.