Three Kenyan boxers strong contenders at AIBA World Championships

Nairobi, Aug 16: Three Kenyan boxers who will represent the country at the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Hamburg, Germany expected to excel.

John Kyalo (middleweight), Nick Okoth (lightweight) and Shaffi Bakari (light flyweight) will compete in the global showpiece that will bring together 280 boxers vying for world titles in different weight divisions, reports Xinhua news agency.

"All boxers in the Hit Squad performed well in the recent Africa Championships and I'm sure they will extend the great performance to the World event," Boxing Association of Kenya chairman John Kameta said here on Tuesday.

Okoth won gold at the African Championships after beating Reda Benbaziz of Algeria in a unanimous decision, while Bakari and Kyalo took bronze at the continental event.

The trio, who have been training at the Mathare Police Depot here, will depart for Germany on Sunday alongside coaches David Munuhe and Mike Musine for the event that starts on August 25.

"They have told me they will not be intimidated by the favoured fighters in the championships," Kameta added.

The 19th edition of the championships in Hamburg will see 18 boxers who won medals at the Rio 2016 Olympics Summer Games last year take part.

Algerian Mohammed Flissi and Cameroon's Dieudonne Ntsengue are the rank African contenders.