Nick Abaka dominates Kenya Prisons rival
Heavyweight Julius Atito of Kenya Prisons (left) slugs it out with Tobias Okeyo of Kenya Police during the fourth leg of the SportPesa National Boxing League at Nakuru’s Madison Square Garden on October 20, 2017. PHOTO | AYUB MUIYUU |
What you need to know:
- Bouts climax with Saturday’s finals in Nakuru.
- KDF’s Kenya star fighter says he is targeting ‘Club’ games in Australia.
Light heavyweight Nick Abaka of Kenya Defence Forces celebrated Mashujaa Day in style when he bombed Peter Abuti of Kenya Prisons to sail into the final of the fourth leg of the SportPesa National Boxing League at Nakuru’s Madison Square Garden on Friday.
Abaka, who lost the first leg in Kisumu and the second leg in Nanyuki to Elly Ajowi before bouncing back to victory in the third leg in Thika, dedicated the victory to his wife and team.
“It feels good to win on a big day like Mashujaa Day and I dedicate this victory to my dear wife Veronica Nyamira, who is my greatest fan and supporter, and the entire KDF team,” said Abaka.
He said he was using the league as a build up for the Commonwealth Games which will be held in Australia next April.
“I want to leave a memorable legacy in my amateur career and the best place to terminate it is at the ‘Club’ games and that is why I am working hard to qualify for the games and clinch a place in the national team,” said the 37-year-old Abaka.
In a slow heavyweight clash, Tobias Okeyo of the Kenya Police “Chafua Chafua” squad qualified for the final when he demolished Julius Atito of Kenya Prisons 3-0.
It was a hard-fought victory for the policeman who in the third round received the mandatory eight count from the referee after soaking in damaging hooks from Atito. In the super heavyweight class, Police’s David Njuguna beat George Owiti of Kenya Prisons 3-0.
The swift policemen, who are the defending champions, maintained their winning ways when the red-hot, 23-year-old Shaffi Bakari clinched the light flyweight contest by defeating Harrison Mathuku of Kenya Prisons 3-0 in a fight the policeman dominated from the first gong.
Bakari will now battle it out with his perennial opponent Matayo Keya of Kenyatta National Hospital who out-boxed Nicodemus Kinuthia of G44-Soweto from Nairobi 3-0.
Keya said he was ready to prove he is not yet over the hill yet and still hungry for the national title.
Bakari said he was optimistic of winning the final contest on Saturday.
“I am happy I will meet Matayo in the final because I want to prove to him I am the new king of light flyweight in Kenya,” bragged Bakari who started his boxing career Kisauni, Mombasa County.
