We are back and better, say Zarika, Okwiri ahead of CBC elimination bouts
Former Africa Boxing Union middleweight champion Rayton Okwiri, Makongeni Boxing Club coach Omondi Adie, Commonwealth Boxing Council president Reuben Ndolo, former WBC Super-Bantamweight champion Fatuma Zarika and Kalakoda Promotion chief Saul Loggenberg at a press conference.
Former World Boxing Council (WBC) super bantamweight champion Fatuma Zarika and former Africa Boxing Union (ABU) middleweight champion Rayton Okwiri have promised a glorious return to the ring.
Yesterday, the 39-year-old Zarika and the 40-year-old Okwiri urged fans to attend in large numbers to witness their return to the ring at the Commonwealth Boxing Council (CBC) event tomorrow at MassHouse, Ngong Racecourse in Nairobi.
Zarika will face Tanzanian Halima Vunajebi in the super-featherweight category, while Okwiri will compete against Muhamad Sebyala from Uganda in the middleweight category. Both contests are scheduled to last eight rounds as part of the Kalakoda Promotions extravaganza.
Victory for Zarika will earn her a rematch with the reigning CBC super featherweight champion, Kirsty Hill of Britain, and Okwiri will also get a shot at the CBC title. Both contests are scheduled for 30 January next year.
If Zarika succeeds in meeting Hill and securing a revenge win, she will compete for the vacant WBC super featherweight title. The previous holder of the WBC super featherweight title was American Alycia Baumgardner.
Hill beat Zarika by split decision to win the title on May 11 last year at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, England.
“Let this message reach Hill: I’m coming for her. She won’t escape this time. The split decision was unfair, but that’s boxing,” said Zarika, who has 50 bouts under her belt, with 34 wins, 14 losses and two draws (34–14–2). Vunajebi has a record of 16-14-1 and last fought on June 14 this year, losing to Melissa Mortensen of Denmark in a non-title contest.
“I haven’t boxed for over a year, but professionals are always ready. I’m like that fine old wine that gets better with age. I want to win the WBC title again,” said Zarika, who will be boxing in the country for the first time in two years.
She made history when she became the first African woman to win a WBC super bantamweight title, beating Jamaican Alicia Ashley by split decision on 1 October 2016.
Okwiri’s success would see him challenge the newly crowned WBC middleweight champion, 23-year-old Briton George Liddard. If she beats Sebyala and Liddard, Zarika could compete for the WBC Silver belt.
“The left knee injury that has kept me away from the ring is completely healed, and I am ready to fight again,” said Okwiri, who will be competing for the first time in 13 months.
Kalakoda Promotions chairman Saul Loggenberg said that the WBC eliminators would be supported by eight bouts featuring boxers from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, the UK, and the DR Congo.
“We intend to hold promotions on the last Friday of every month from now on, building up to more prestigious title bouts in Nairobi towards the end of next year,” he said.
The boxers’ weigh-in is set for MassHouse today from 9 am.
