Once held in awe in Africa as a boxing powerhouse in the same league with Cuba, South Korea, USA and Russia, Kenya’s prowess in the sport has been on the steep decline as investment and interest diminished over the past four decades.

The highlight of Kenya’s supremacy in the sport was in 1987 during the All African Game in Nairobi when the East African nation out-punched the rest of the continent in all the 12 boxing categories to win 10 gold and two silver medals.

However, things are no longer rosy and Kenya struggles to raise quality boxers who can match the best in Olympics, Commonwealth Games, International Athletics and African Games.

Against this worrisome backdrop, aspiring boxers in Thika Town have decried lack of training venues and equipment, which they describe as setbacks that kill their dream of competing at the highest levels. While they have the potential, they said, they lack requisite support to enable them to excel.

Led by Daniel Abuneri and Dynamite Wanjohi, the boxers said that they yearn to be champions and represent the country at international level but challenges such as the lack of sufficient space for training and ideal equipment like gloves and headgears, among others, derail their progress.

“We do not have equipment like gloves, punching bags, headgears, boxing pads, training weights and without these it is difficult to develop our skills to the level of becoming professional boxers,” said Abuneri.

Dynamite Wanjohi, an outstanding boxer from Kiambu County, believes that if supported, he can bring honour to Kenya. He says he gets disappointed whenever he misses out on many national tournaments due to lack of money for transport and accommodation, among other needs.

“Many times I do not have the money to pay participation fees, accommodation or fare to attend league games. With financial support I believe I can represent Kenya at international level,” Wanjohi said.

Speaking during an exhibition at Thika Town, Wayne Boxing Club CEO Charles Wainaina, said the club lacks a spacious and fully equipped training facility, which in turn limits their training as the small room they have rented does not allow them to exercise effectively as well as accommodate spectators.

“With such a limited space, training becomes a challenge for us as we cannot all fit in the tiny room we have rented in a commercial building and even our spectators have to watch matches through the windows because they cannot fit in. there is only space for the participants,” Wainaina said.

He pointed out that young boxers’ talents should not be wasted as it opens opportunities for them to join the Kenya Police Service and Kenya Defence Forces, besides opportunities abroad where they earn from boxing.

“We have trained people with a lot of potential despite financial challenges. We have one who is in Germany and others, through their resilience, have joined the disciplined forces,” Wainaina said.

He observed that the sport has helped transform the behaviour of some of the young men in Thika who had joined criminal gangs and alcohol abuse, but have turned their lives around as boxing gives them a sense of hope and belonging in the community.

His sentiments were echoed by Julius Gakuha, chair of Wayne Promotion Club. Gakuha said that young people who have gone through boxing or any other martial arts training do not engage in violence or robbery, and cannot be lured by politicians into violence such as recent protests.

“Boxing instils discipline in these people so you will not find them abusing alcohol and drugs or participating in violence, robbery and vandalism,” Gakuha noted.

Gakuha raised concern over the abandonment of boxers at the grassroots level by local leaders, saying that it is a high time these youthful talents are nurtured and supported since they have a lot of potential and can become Kenya’s great heroes.

While lauding Wayne Boxing Club, Martin Luther, a boxing promoter, urged the youth not to despise the sport or take it as any other game but consider it as a career to earn a living.

Luther castigated bad management in Boxing Federation of Kenya, saying it has failed come to government the sport.

The officials appealed to Kiambu County Governor Kimani Wamatangi to provide them with a spacious training facility at Thika Stadium, where they can train and host boxing matches. They also called on local leaders and sponsors to support them with equipment.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Carolina Kamande