Nightmare In Nairobi II Boxing:Okolla, Wasike Breathing Fire As They Pledge Rivals Hell In The Friday Night Clashes

_{KPBC President Reuben Ndolo said the title fights category winners will head for the prestigious Commonwealth Boxing Council belts.}

_{By Lopez Atieno}

NGONG RACE COURSE, Kenya- Kenyan pugilists Morris ‘Maketho Maloso’ Okolla and Johua Wasike have pledged to destroy their opponents into smithereens in the second Nightmare In Nairobi title fights set for Masshouse in Ngong Race Course on Friday night.

Okolla will take on Hudson Muhumuza of Uganda in a ten round East and Central African Heavyweight title while Wasike will slug off Jacob Mganga of Tanzania in a ten round East and Central African Cruiserweight belt.

Kenya Professional Boxing Commission (KPBC) President Reuben Ndolo, who oversaw the weigh-in and sanctioning of the bouts in Nairobi on Thursday, stated that the winners of the belts will be given a chance to go for the prestigious Commonwealth Boxing Council titles which he is also the head of its governing body.

At the same time, Kenyan Olympian Elizabeth Andiego will use the Friday night showdown to make her debut into professional boxing, even though she is still permitted by the Boxing Federation of Kenya and world governing body IBA to represent Kenya internationally (at the Olympics, Worlds, African championships etc.).

Okolla, the Kenyan heavyweight reigning champion since 2015, called upon Kenyan fans to take their strategic seats very early in the night because Muhumiza is not going to last for three rounds.

“I’m going to punch him like a sack of potatoes, he’s going to get drunk from my hard knocks, he is in trouble, someone should tell him,” Okolla said of his opponent during the Thursday press conference.

Okolla, who boasts of 18 fights (13 wins and 10 KOs) including 5 losses (3 KOs) predicted that Muhumiza will be an easy tackle as he used two and a half months to do homework for the Ugandan at high profile gyms in Gigiri and along Mombasa Road.

“I did lots of body work and endurance training. This is enough to knock him off in the fight, I don’t see him proceeding to the third round,” Okolla reiterated.

“I will use this fixture to step up training for another title fight I have in the United Kingdom in April.

“From this clash with Muhumiza, I’ll know which areas to strengthen before I board that plane to England,” Okolla highlighted.

While Okolla is enjoying the bragging rights, Muhumiza pledged to inflict maximum pain to silence the Kenyan ‘showboating’ police officer.

“I have not come to Kenya to watch tall buildings; I have come here to carry all the money and the trophies back home. I’ll let my fingers do the talking,” Muhumiza said.

Wasike (7 fights: 6 wins of all KOs and 1 loss) warned Mganga that the latter is in trouble.

“In my first Nightmare In Nairobi battle, I took only 1 minute and 30 seconds to clear out my rival, this time round I see lessening the time,” said Wasike who upped his training in three gyms located in Kileleshwa, Mombasa Road and Ngong Road ahead of the clash.

“The preparations were tremendous, I can’t complain. It went for two months and I concentrated my practices on footwork and speed which have made me very agile,” Wasike said.

“I’m so much inspired to win this bout so I can proceed for the Commonwealth belt. I can see a KO coming in this my opening fight of the year, so fans showily come early to see me send Mganga spiraling on the floor,” noted Wasike who represented Kenya in the World Boxing Championships in Belgrade in 2021 in Belgrade, Serbia before turning pro in 2023.

Andiego, who is paired with Christina Raura of Tanzania in the women’s super middleweight clash, pledged to finish off the work started by Sarah ‘Angel of War’ Achieng who destroyed the visiting Tanzanian in their historic clash held in Nairobi last year.

“I think I already have the answer to Raura, I’m just going to repeat what Sarah did to her last season, Raura will have nowhere to hide in the ring,” noted Andiego who upped her training at the Mathare Depot.

Apart from the three bouts, there will be four other non- titles fights that will act as curtain raisers for the East and Central African belts.

“All these fights are very important. All boxers have prepared well. We are happy that Nairobi is continuing to host more and more boxing which is making Kenya the hub of boxing in East and Central Africa,” Ndolo said.

Nightmare In Nairobi II Bouts

Title Fights

1.Morris ‘Maketho Maloso’ Okolla vs Hudson Muhumiza (Uganda): East and Central African Heavyweight belt- 10 Rounds

2. Joshua Wasike vs Jacob Mganga (Tanzania): East and Central African Cruiserweight belt- 10 Rounds

Non-Title Fights

3.George ‘King’ Onyango vs Ernest Kapinga (Tanzania): Super welterweight

4.Martin Achebi vs Karim Migea (Tanzania): Welterweight

5.Elizabeth Andiego vs Christina Raura (Tanzania): Women’s Super Middleweight

6.Felix Loggenberg (South Africa) vs Frank Ngobi (Uganda): Super welterweight

7. Gift Tembo (Zimbabwe) vs Abdul Kasozi (Uganda): Super Lightweight