Kenyan fighters secure 'favorable' draws at Dubai World Championships

Kenyan boxers got 'encouraging draws' ahead of Thursday night's opening bouts at the IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships 2025, a unique edition of the global event set to take place in an open-air arena at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium in the UAE.

National boxing coach Benjamin Musa welcomed the draw, noting that several Kenyan fighters had landed opponents they are familiar with, while others will require quick technical analysis.

“In some weight categories, we are in 50–50 situations because we’ve drawn opponents from Ethiopia and Uganda, whom we know fairly well,” Musa said.

“There are, however, boxers we are unfamiliar with. We will review videos of their previous fights, thanks to our Information Officer Duncan Kuria, and work with our technical team to devise the right approach.”

According to the draw released Wednesday afternoon, most Kenyan athletes need two victories to break into the lucrative money bracket. A fifth-place finish guarantees at least one million shillings, while reaching the semi-finals comes with a nine-million-shilling payout.

Musa acknowledged that not all draws were easy, highlighting the tough path for team captain Boniface Mogunde, who faces a formidable opponent from Kazakhstan. Other Kenyan fighters will square off against challengers from countries such as Estonia and Moldova—nations with strong boxing traditions.

“Some draws are tough, but if you want to be a champion, you must beat champions,” Musa said. “We will study our opponents’ tapes and craft solid game plans.”

Among the Kenyan team, middleweight Edwin Okong’o appears to have the clearest path to the prize bracket, needing just two wins to secure a payout.

Also benefiting from favorable draws are lightweight Washington Wandera, light-welterweight Caleb Wandera, and light-middleweight captain Boniface Mogunde, all of whom stand solid chances of advancing.