Robert Okaka of Kenya (left) celebrates after beating Vinogradov Anton of Estonia at the ongoing International Boxing Association (IBA) fight in Dubai.
Behind his calm demeanor is a story of resilience, hard work, and a never-say-die attitude. At 26, the history-making two-time Africa light heavyweight bronze medallist, Robert Okaka, has seen it all.
Standing at 5 feet 9 inches and weighing 80kg in his socks, the Kenya Army Senior Private considers himself a manifestation of the real story of how God can turn someone from nothing to something.
“You see, people talk about what God has done for them, but when I get to listen to their stories, I find them total jokes considering what I have gone through life at Jericho and Maringo estates,” says Okaka at AV Fitness Gymnasium in Lavington, Nairobi, where he agreed to do the interview.
After his stunning victories against heavyweights Cosby Ouma and Francis Ndenga of Kentract to earn his maiden call to the national boxing team, Hit Squad, in 2022, Okaka attended the team’s training on an empty stomach and at one time survived on roasted maize.
Then, Okaka, who was preparing for his IBA World Boxing Championships debut in Uzbekistan, hit rock bottom. He informed the national technical bench that he was considering quitting the game because of his personal tribulations.
A look at his past will show a life of struggle.
After finishing Standard Eight at Nanyeni Primary School in Mumias Kakamega County in 2016, Okaka, the lastborn in a family of seven boys and two girls, moved to Nairobi to live with his brother Harrison in Dandora. He joined Blessed Secondary School in Form One in 2017.
In May that year, his other brother Zaddock lost his daughter and they had to travel to Mumias for the funeral.
“Harrison, my aunt Agnes and Zaddock’s other daughter got involved in a fatal road crash in Naivasha while travelling to the funeral. I was supposed to have used the same transport but did not travel that day,” says Okaka with a forlorn look.
“We had four deaths in the family. That shocked me to the core; it was the most distressing experience of my life."
After the burial, Okaka returned to Nairobi and would later join his brother Zaddock in Maringo Estate, Nairobi, where he was enrolled in Form Two at Makongeni Secondary School and rose to the rank of the School’s President in Form Four in 2020.
“My brother Zaddock, who had rented a corrugated iron sheet room for me, had his own family and I thought it wise not to burden him too much. I used to raise some money working at some construction sites in Dandora,” says Okaka, who would later become a water vendor and garbage collector in Maringo, Makadara and Shauri Moyo estates and a porter at Wakulima Market.
“You see, I had no choice but to do that as well as go to school,” says Okaka, who was born on March 21, 1999, in Busia but hails from Matungu, Mumias, Kakamega County.
Kenyan boxer Robert Okaka is declared the winner against Rafrafi Youssef of Tunisia at the World Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on December 8, 2025.
He would even offer his service to unblock sewerage systems. Anything that could earn him a penny, he was ready to do.
Then one day, para wheelchair boxer Karanja, who used to reside at Mbotela government quarters, saw the menial work Okaka and his friend Glesson Agade were doing and advised them to try boxing.
Karanja introduced them to a boxing coach called Kenneth Agavi, who started giving them open air sessions in Jericho.
It’s after Okaka cleared Form Four in 2021 that Agavi directed him to Jericho Boxing Club where coaches Nickson Bisto and Elijah Mringie took him under their wings.
“One can tell easily if someone is talented or not. Just a few sessions with Okaka, and they revealed a lot about him. He is a boxing gold mine,” said Bisto. “He is so hardworking, which complements his talent and power.”
But things started getting difficult for Okaka in his last months at school as he combined menial work and training.
“I had not paid rent for some time and the landlord lived up to his threat to throw out my stuff when I was in school,” said Okaka. “I slept at a kiosk in Makadara that night, and it was a terrible experience.”
His brother Zaddock rented for him another corrugated iron sheet house in Maringo and upon completing school, he concentrated his energies on water vending and boxing.
Agavi would take him to watch some boxing matches at Charter Hall in 2022 where he got to experience the game. “He told me boxing can earn me employment if I worked hard and I took up the challenge fully,” says Okaka, who lined up for the National Novices Championships at Kaloleni Social Hall in February 2022.
Robert Okaka prepares to face Bizhamov Dzhambulat of Russia at the World Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on December 10, 2025.
Okaka, representing Jericho and Nairobi in light heavyweight, stopped a boxer from Vihiga before meeting Kenya-based Israel Katembo from Congo.
“I lost to Israel on points, but my fight was voted the best bout of the championships,” says Okaka.
He was thrown in the deep end when he was invited to the national team trials in 2023 in Nairobi.
Fearless and hungry, Okaka would shock the Kenyan boxing world when he beat both Ouma and Ndenga to earn a call up to Hit Squad for the IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships that were held from April 30 to May 14, 2023 in Tashkent , Uzbekistan.
He was now under Kenya coach Benjamin Musa and his assistants David Munuhe and John Waweru.
First international medal
“I simply couldn’t believe it. I faced a serious challenge since I didn’t have any cash to pay for my bus fare to attend training and buy food. At one time, I survived on roast maize for two weeks while engaged in intense training with the national team. There was no allowance then,” said Okaka.
With a faraway look, the Kenya boxer says his situation was made worse when the shack he was living in got waterlogged from the prevailing rains.
“It was tough sleeping in that house with my wife, Olivia. I am surprised I never got sick.”
“I will never ever forget Waweru. He has a kind heart. They helped me raise funds that enabled me to repair my corrugated iron sheet house to stop the leaking,” says Okaka, adding that he vowed to succeed one day. "I even inscribed on my door ‘Ipo Siku’.”
Robert Okaka of Kenya (left) celebrates after beating Vinogradov Anton of Estonia at the ongoing International Boxing Association (IBA) fight in Dubai.
A determined Okaka would make the final Kenya team for the Men’s World Championships and subsequently boarded a plane for the first time in his life, aged 23 years.
“It was amazing. I was just stunned. For the first time, I got to hold over Sh10,000 in allowances,” says Okaka, who used to earn about Sh200 on a good day.
Okaka may have lost 4-1 in the first round to Pal Kovacs from Hungary but the duel came with lessons.
“It changed my boxing tactically,” said Okaka.
When he participated in the 2023 National League Championships for the first time, he was a different boxer. He won the light heavyweight division in three of the four legs he fought in.
Okaka got selected for his second outing with the Hit Squad, the Africa Boxing Confederation Championships in Yaounde, Cameroon, the same year.
He caused an upset when he shocked home boxer and African Games bronze medallist Junior Fotouo Totap to reach the semi-finals, where he lost to Congolese boxer Nehemiah Ngamissengue on points.
“I was over the moon. My first international medal, even though I had hoped to reach the final,” says Okaka, who would be recruited by the Kenya Defence Forces immediately after returning from Yaounde.
After passing out in May 2024, Okaka returned home to be welcomed by baby girl Zawadi, who had been delivered on January 3, 2024 while he was at the Recruit Training College.
Kenya’s Robert Okaka (right) attempts to land a punch on Yassir Rigui of Morocco during the Africa Boxing Championships in Kinshasa last month. Okaka guided KDF to win the fourth leg of the National Boxing League in Nanyuki.
He then relocated with his family from Maringo to Umoja before attending his second Africa Boxing Confederation Championships outing in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He once again reached the semis to settle for bronze after losing to Namibian boxer Gebhard Ipinge.
“I had lost hope thinking I won’t do anything meaningful in life but here I am with two continental medals,” says Okaka.
Then he made his second appearance at the World Championship held from December 4 to 13 last year in Dubai, where he beat Estonian Vinogradov Anton 5-0 in the round of 32 before stopping Tunisia's Youssef Rafrafi in the third round to reach the quarter-finals.
Russian Bizhamov Dzhambulat stopped Okaka’s progress in the last eight but he had already made history as the first Kenyan in 43 years to advance that far in the global championship.
He came home Sh1.3 million richer thanks to the lucrative prize purse of the championships. However, as per the regulations, half the purse went to his coaches and the Boxing Federation of Kenya.
“What I have learnt is that you achieve anything if you put God first, then discipline and hard work. You can’t gain without feeling that pain,” said Okaka.
So, what next?
First, he aims to win the continental title when Kenya hosts the Africa Boxing Confederation Championships in October this year.
“My ultimate target is the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where I want to emulate my namesake, Robert Wangila Napunyi, who also lived in Jericho,” says Okaka.
Wangila made history as the first African to win an Olympic gold medal in welterweight at the 1988 Seoul Summer Games.
