The Kenya Open Boxing Championships, the country's biggest amateur competition, will run from Wednesday to Saturday at the historic Kaloleni Social Hall in Nairobi and has attracted over 150 boxers from 35 teams.
Nations Sports takes a look at the likely dream final fights on Saturday that fans will be hoping for as the country’s best fighters square off in a hall that has produced some of Kenya’s best boxers in history, the likes of 1990 Commonwealth Games heavyweight champion, George "Foreman" Onyango, 1994 Commonwealth Games super heavyweight silver medallist, David “The Giant” Anyim, former Africa Boxing Union middleweight champion, Rayton Okwiri and 1988 Olympian heavyweight Harold Obunga.
■ Shaffi Bakari (Police) v Dennis Muthama (KDF) - bantamweight
Shaffi Bakari trains at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on August 6, 2019 ahead of African Games. PHOTO | SILA KIPLAGAT |
It is a final that will likely produce fireworks from two experienced boxers. They met three times last year, with Muthama claiming victory twice. However, the two pugilists have never met in a Kenya Open final. This would be a blockbuster.
Bakari’s gloves speak for him. He won bronze medals at the 2017 and 2023 Africa Boxing Championships, and silver at the 2019 African Games. Muthama is the 2024 Africa Military Games champion.
“I can never ever say I am going to win the final. It depends on how someone wakes up on the day and the performance throughout the rounds. The best boxer on the day will win,” said the 26-year-old Muthama.
Bakari, 32, said it had been a long time since he reached the final because, on most occasions, he sustained injuries in the semis and ended up giving a walkover. “I hope to exorcise the demons this time around. A final against Muthama will be tough.”
■Chris Juma v Mwinyi “Giant Killer” Kombo - featherweight
This is another mouth-watering prospect. The two excellent boxers fought each other twice last, exchanging wins.
Kombo beat teenager Juma to successfully defend his Kenya Open title last year before Juma, then a Form Three secondary school student, returned the favour in the final of the Nakuru leg of the 2025 National League.
The 2024 Kenyan Open will always stir good memories for Kombo, who is the 2025 Africa Zone Five silver medallist. He beat Juma, knocked out seasoned Isaac Meja and 2022 Africa Championships silver medallist Sam Njau on his way to claiming the title.
“I would love to meet Juma in the final. That will be exciting, but the draw will determine who gets to the final. Crazy things happen along the way,” said Kombo as he warned he was gunning for a hat-trick of Open wins.
Juma is now 17 years old, presumably, older, stronger and wiser. Game on!
■■Washington Wandera v Benedict Juma - lightweight
It will be Washington Wandera’s first competitive outing since fighting in the International Boxing Association (IBA) men's world championship in Dubai in December, where he disappointedly fail to reach the quarter-finals. Wandera was the first boxer from Nakuru to make the Hit Squad for the global event last year after a decade.
He lost to Ethan Maina 2-1 in the final of the Kenya Open last year. Wandera and Juma met twice last year. Wandera prevailed in the semi-finals of the Kenya Open before Juma took revenge at the Harold Obunga Memorial tournament final.
“That will be a final,” said Wandera of the looming collision.
■■Abednego Kyalo (KDF) v Silas Onyango (Nairobi) - minimumweight
Kenya’s Silas Onyango (in red) fights against Ethiopia’s Abel Abatiye Alemu during the Africa Zone 3 Boxing championship on October 20, 2025, at Kasarani gymnasium.
Photo credit: Billy Ogada | Nation Media Group
It will likely come down to a battle of wits and grit if the Africa Zone III light flyweight champion Silas Onyango ends up meeting Africa Zone III minimumweight bronze medallist Abednego Kyalo, who is also the Africa Military Games flyweight bronze medallist. They are the best in their division.
Onyango beat Kyalo 3-2 in the semi-finals of last year’s Africa Zone III tournament. Onyango will be fighting for the first time since his maiden appearance at the International Boxing Association (IBA) men's World Championship in Dubai in December, where he fell in the round of 32.
■■ Lencer Akinyi (Nairobi) v Jane Wangari (Prisons) - light flyweight
This is a familiar match-up. Akinyi, the Africa Zone III bronze medallist, and Wangari fought four times last year. Akinyi carried the day on all four occasions. On paper, the two are destined to meet for the title, with Akinyi the overwhelming favourite.
Still, this is boxing and the Prisons boxer will look to turn the tables on the day. Akinyi will be featuring in the Kenya Open for the second time since her maiden outing in 2023, when she lost to Christine Ongare in the final.
Wangari has entered the Kenya Open twice. She did not have an opponent in the minimumweight category last year. In 2024, she lost on points in the light flyweight category to Ongare, the 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist.
