This archive report was first published on 24 August 2019.
Kenya's medal hopes at the African Games in Rabat, Morocco, received a boost on Thursday when boxer Nick Okoth, the 2015 African Games lightweight bronze medalist, defeated Armando Moliko of Equatorial Guinea in a unanimous decision.
Okoth, who is also the 2015 African lightweight champion and has since switched to featherweight (57kg), earned the Hit Squad their first quarter-final berth at Amani Indoor Sports Centre in Rabat.
His victory seemed to have inspired Cosby, who beat John Koudeha of Togo also on unanimous points' decision in the middleweight battle to glide into the quarter-finals.
Boxing Federation of Kenya technical director Albert Matito said, 'We expected the two boxers to win their matches because of their experience in international assignments.'
Kenya's team, however, suffered setbacks earlier in the tournament when Kenya Defence Forces light heavyweight (81kg) boxer Edwin Okong'o and national women lightweight champion Evelyn Akinyi lost their opening matches.
Okongo was beaten by Kaonga Mbachi of Zambia while Akinyi lost to Moula Khouloud of Tunisia. Flyweight champion Shaffi Bakari Hassan was set to battle Saidi Mortaji of Morocco in a later match.
Published on August 24, 2019.
