Kenya Police boxing team won the 5th and final leg of The National Boxing League held at Ofafa memorial Hall in Kisumu.
After winning silver last year, Chafu Chafua as police boxing team is referred to , the collected 23points 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 as hosts Kisumu finished a disappointing sixth with a point.
Police dominated the ten final bouts held on Friday, winning seven with Shaffi Bakari setting 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.
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-heavyweight81kg.
Police’sGeorge 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.
Daily Nation