Africa-Press – Kenya. Hit Squad flyweight pugilist, David Karanja, is basking in yet another glory after bagging the Best Male Boxer accolade during the second edition of the inaugural President Jamal Boxing Championship that concluded in Kisumu on Saturday.
Karanja’s exploits in the ring fired the Kenya Police Service boxing club to the top of the table with 26 points. Their closest rivals, Nairobi County, managed a distant 10 points while Kongowea were third with nine.
It was the second time Karanja was bagging gold in the competition, having also punched his way to victory during the maiden edition at Charter Hall in Nairobi in November.
Karanja reckons his splendid performance has now put him on course for international glory, saying he will continue to punch furiously on the bag with eyes firmly trained on the forthcoming 2022 Commonwealth Games slated for July in Birmingham.
“I have a burning desire to leave an indelible mark on the global stage. Hopefully, this performance has landed me a slot in the Hit Squad provisional squad. I’m looking forward to a good run at the African Championship in January and the Commonwealth Games in July,” said Karanja.
The pugilist sent a passionate plea to the government to find ways of assisting the national team to grace as many international shows as possible ahead of their trip to Birmingham to enable them gain the necessary exposure.
“We would all want to reclaim the country’s lost glory in boxing as witnessed in the ’80s and ’90s. The only way to achieve this is to participate in a good number of international tournaments in order to gauge our potential before major competitions,” said Karanja.
The boxer said the poor show being exhibited by Kenyan boxers was partly due to the challenges brought about by unemployment and urged the government and private enterprises to absorb them.
The boxer said he hoped to land a job with the National Police Service.
“With employment it becomes easier for one to fully concentrate on getting the job done in the ring. You don’t have to worry about how to raise house rent and fend for the family anymore,” said Karanja.
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