Okwiri explodes to enter second round

What you need to know:

  • Okwiri, who had the Libyan docked points in the second and third round of the bout, will now meet top seed Ugandan David Ssemujju Kavuma in the second round on Sunday
  • Okwiri, who dropped from professional ranks to contest for a place at the Olympics, was the only Kenyan in action on Thursday

Kenya's Olympian Rayton Okwiri Thursday completely outclassed Libyan Salem Elmagasbi Emhemed in middleweight category to reach the second round of the Africa qualifiers for 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Dakar, Senegal.

Okwiri, who had the Libyan docked points in the second and third round of the bout, will now meet top seed Ugandan David Ssemujju Kavuma in the second round on Sunday.

Okwiri is the only boxer in the Kenyan team who participated at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Kavuma, who claimed silver at the African Games, losing out to Tarik Allali from Morocco, had a bye to the second round.

Okwiri, who dropped from professional ranks to contest for a place at the Olympics, was the only Kenyan in action on Thursday.

The winner between Okwiri and Kavuma will book a ticket to the quarter-finals.