Kenya hosts first World Boxing Africa Elite Championships in Nairobi, running to 28 October

Kenya is hosting the first World Boxing Africa Elite Men's and Women's Championships at the Kasarani Indoor Arena in Nairobi, running until 28 October, Citizen Digital reported on 15 October. Kenya's national team, the Hit Squad, will field 40 boxers, led by captain Boniface Mogunde.

The arena is part of the Moi International Sports Centre at Kasarani. Citizen Digital reported on 13 October that the event is organised by Africa Boxing, led by Solomon Kargbo, under the World Boxing umbrella. By then Algeria, Egypt and Angola had landed in Nairobi, and Nigeria, Uganda and Rwanda were expected, the same report said.

Citizen Digital reported on 15 October that the International Boxing Association (IBA) is staging a separate African championship in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Congolese news agency ACP reported on 14 October that African Boxing Confederation president Ferdinand Ilunga announced at a press conference that it will run from 19 October to 1 November at the twinned gymnasium of the Stade des Martyrs, with 38 countries and more than 400 athletes.

In February 2025 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) provisionally recognised World Boxing, founded in 2023, as the body to oversee boxing at future Games, according to Flashscore. The IOC had earlier cut links with the IBA over financial, governance and ethical concerns.

Hit Squad head coach Benjamin Musa said, as quoted by Citizen Digital on 13 October: "We began training last week with a squad of 40 boxers, comprising ten weight categories for women and ten for men." He said the squad was chosen on Kenya Open performances and consistency in the national league.

"Nearly half of our squad consists of pugilists who will be representing the country for the first time," Musa said in the same report. He said the team wants a large number of medals and will use the championships to prepare for the 2028 Olympic qualifiers.

Mogunde won the light-middleweight title at the 2024 African Boxing Confederation Championships in Kinshasa, Kenya's first African title in seven years, the Daily Nation said in an editorial on 16 October. He is aiming to defend that title in Nairobi, Citizen Digital reported on 15 October. "It is a great honour that this competition is being held here in Kenya, and we, as boxers, are ready," he said, as quoted in the same report.

Amina Martha, a journalist and digital strategist, is aiming for gold in the bantamweight division. "Preparations have gone well. We have been in a training camp here at the Police Depot for two weeks," she said, as quoted in the same report.

The Boxing Federation of Kenya's Secretary General, David Munuhe, said, as quoted by The Standard on 22 September: "We have all what it takes to host the continental showpiece." Kenya has qualified technical personnel in addition to officials to be appointed by World Boxing, he said. "Definitely, we expect a full house in this showpiece." Kenya also hosted the Africa Zone Three Boxing Championships in 2025, The Standard reported.