Mogunde outshines Oduor in Kenya Open Boxing showdown in Nairobi

Boniface Mogunde put on a smart and composed performance to beat the powerful Michael Oduor in a thrilling light middleweight match at the Kenya Open Boxing Championship held over the weekend at Charter Hall, Nairobi.

Mogunde used quick footwork and clever movement to stay ahead of Oduor, who struggled to land clean shots.

“My opponent wasn’t easy, he fights with a lot of power and comes from Nairobi, but I used my movement technique to outclass him,” Mogunde said after the fight, reflecting on a dominant performance that confirmed his growing stature in the division.

In the women’s flyweight final, Sheila Auma from Team Kibra pulled off a big win against experienced boxer Ann Wanjiru of Kisumu.

Auma held her nerve to claim victory in an emotional and closely fought match.

“I’m very happy to win the Kenya Open, especially against someone who has represented Kenya,” an elated Auma said. “It was a very tough match, and at times I felt afraid, but I managed to stay calm and get the win.”

In the bantamweight division, Amina Martha once again proved too strong for Dorah Mkacharo of Meru, winning in the first round by Referee Stops Contest (RSC), just like in their last meeting.

“It was a good fight, but not entirely as I expected,” Amina admitted. “I’ve fought her before and won in the first round, and the same happened here in the Kenya Open.”

Kenya Police topped the men’s team standings with 21 points, followed by archrivals, Kenya Defence Forces (16), and Kenya Prisons (11). Nairobi (7) and Siaya (6) Counties completed the top five.

The tournament, organized by the Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK), ran for four days and attracted over 120 boxers (105 males and 21 females) from 16 teams across counties and clubs, highlighting the rising popularity of boxing across the country.