This archive report was first published on 18 November 2021.
On November 18, 2021, the Jamal's Cup Tournament kicked off at Charter Hall in Nairobi, Kenya, marking the first edition of the annual event. The tournament served as the 2022 Commonwealth Games Trials and 2022 AIBA Women World Championship, set to take place in Istanbul, Turkey.
Over 122 male boxers and 24 female boxers from across the country, including Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Meru, participated in the tournament. The competition saw 36 bouts from the male boxers on the first day.
Notable boxers, including Olympians Elizabeth Akinyi, Boniface Mugunde, and lightweight favorite Nick Okoth, were part of the hit squad members present at the tournament. Africa Zone Three super heavyweight champion Elly Ajowi was also in attendance, ready to defend his title.
According to Hit Squad Head Coach Benjamin Musa, 'This is a big tournament for us as boxing, it will be added in the event's calendar of the boxing federation. It is also an opportunity for me, as a coach to scout for new talent.'
The Jamal's Cup Tournament is a new addition to the boxing federation's calendar, with the first edition being held in Nairobi and the second edition scheduled for Kisumu in mid-December. The tournament aims to gear boxers towards the January Africa Continental Championships.
On the first day of the tournament, Victor Odhiambo, Said Hamza, Antony Maina, and Fred Onyango emerged as winners in the Light Welter Weight 63 Kgs category. In the Lightweight 60kgs category, double Olympian Nick Okoth, Phillip Sabwa, and Francis Riziki brought glory to their respective clubs.
Competition Secretary John Waweru noted, 'This is the first edition but because we've been out for so long, we decided to have two. The second edition will be held in Kisumu Mid-December, in about a month. This will only be for the top 5 boxers in each category of this first edition.'
