This archive report was first published on 16 July 2019.
On July 16, 2019, the Boxing Association of Kenya embarked on a journey to reclaim its lost glory under the leadership of new president Antony Otieno, alias Jamal.
As part of his vision, Jamal organized a training session and meal sharing with boxers in the Nairobi region at the Nyayo Stadium to understand the challenges they face.
Speaking exclusively to Ghetto Radio Sports, Jamal said the high turnout of boxers at the event was a testament to the country's boxing talent, which needs to be tapped to boost the sport.
“About 120 boxers attended the event, showing there is boxing talent in the country that needs to be exposed through the right investment and motivation of the boxers,” Jamal said.
With a landslide victory in the election overseen by the IEBC, Jamal is determined to make boxing a lucrative sport in Kenya and regain its lost glory.
“My dream is to redeem the lost glory of boxing in the country and ensure that boxers can sustain their livelihood through boxing, just like other sportsmen in fields like football,” Jamal added.
Currently, boxers are preparing for the third league games in Mombasa, ahead of the All African Games in Morocco.
Jamal is working on equipping boxing gyms in different neighborhoods through Ndondi Mashinani to encourage more boxers in various communities who have the talent but lack facilities.
“My goal is to promote boxing by equipping our boxing clubs and organizing tournaments between different clubs and counties. We will also engage in exchange programs with countries like Cuba and Russia to motivate our boxers,” Jamal said.
