Ibrahim Class targets more titles after WBC wins

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIAN boxer Ibrahim Mgenda, known as “Ibrahim Class”, has set his sights on bigger titles after capturing the World Boxing Council (WBC) International Silver and Gold belts in Bangkok, Thailand.

Speaking on arrival at Julius Nyerere International Airport on Tuesday, Mgenda said the triumph has ignited his ambition, describing the victory as a launching pad for greater achievements and a renewed push to fly Tanzania’s flag on the global stage.

“I feel happy to have won these international titles. This achievement motivates me to push harder and aim for more,” he said.

“This is not the end; it is the start of a new chapter. I want to win more titles and continue representing Tanzania.”

The 59kg fighter was met by fans and fellow boxers Twaha Rubaha (Twaha Kiduku) and Karim Khalid (Mandonga) following his return from Thailand.

Mgenda secured the titles on Saturday night, stopping Thailand’s Kritiphak Duangnut via a fifth-round technical knockout to claim the WBC International superlightweight crown.

Duangnut set the tempo early, pressing forward in the opening round as Mgenda adopted a measured approach.

The contest opened up in the second, with both fighters trading more freely, Mgenda beginning to find his range with cleaner, sharper shots.

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By the third, Duangnut leaned on movement and output, but Mgenda’s heavier punches told, closing the round strongly. Momentum swung decisively in the fourth, with Mgenda forcing his opponent onto the ropes under sustained pressure.

The end came in the fifth. Duangnut surged forward, but Mgenda unleashed a clinical series of combinations that dropped him for the third time, prompting the referee to wave it off.

The victory avenged an earlier draw between the pair this year and secured Mgenda the WBC International belt in the division.

His manager, Amitin Mbamba, said the win carries significance beyond the individual achievement, highlighting its potential to elevate Tanzania’s standing in professional boxing and create pathways for emerging fighters.

“These titles have placed our professional boxing on the global map,” she said.