AIBA Championships: Veronica Mbithe punched out as Kenya fights on in Serbia

Kenyan boxer Veronica Mbithe's run at the 2025 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Nis, Serbia, has come to an early end after the 29-year-old KDF corporal fell to Kazakhstan’s Alua Balkibekova in round 32 of the light-flyweight (48-50 kg) contest, losing by unanimous decision.

Mbithe, who also competed at the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi, struggled against Balkibekova’s aggressive and technical approach. The Kazakhstani fighter, a silver medallist in 2022 and bronze winner in 2023, proved too dominant, securing all three rounds with judges scoring 30-24, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27, and 30-36 in her favor. Balkibekova now advances to the round of 16 to face Morocco’s Yasmine Moutaqui.

With Mbithe’s exit, Kenya still has seven boxers in contention at the 14th edition of the championships, which has drawn over 500 fighters from 40 nations.

Among them is veteran Liz Andiego, 38, who brings a wealth of experience, having competed in multiple editions of the IBA Championships, the 2012 London Olympics, and the 2014 Commonwealth Games. She will battle it out in the light-heavyweight (75-81 kg) category.

Also flying the Kenyan flag high is Amina Martha Faki (bantamweight), appearing the third time in the championships, alongside featherweight fighter Pauline Chege and welterweight contender Friza Anyango, both in their second outings. Newcomers Cynthia Mwai (light-welterweight), Emily Juma (lightweight), and Lencer Akinyi (flyweight) will be looking to make a strong first impression on the global stage.

Tonight Pauline Chege Wandia will come up against Montenegro‘S Gojkovic Bojana in the round of 32 elite Women 54-57kg featherweight bout while Cynthia Mwai Mwihaki will face off with Mexican Edith Hernandez Gonzalez in round 16 of the elite women 60-63kg light welterweight fight.

The championships feature 12 weight divisions, with Kenya missing out in four.