Paul lights up day one of the AFBC Zone III Championships

NAIROBI: THE African Boxing Confederation (AFBC) Zone III Championships erupted into action at Nairobi’s Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, with drama, passion and punches flying from every corner of the ring.

And at the heart of the day’s biggest fireworks was Tanzania’s Ezra Paul, who delivered a show-stopping performance that sent shockwaves through the arena.

In a battle of grit and skill, Paul dismantled Kenya’s Washington Wandera with a blend of slick footwork, razorsharp punches and unshakable composure.

His 4-1 victory wasn’t just a win it was a statement, igniting celebrations in the Tanzanian camp and earning him a spot among the early stars of the championship.

While Tanzania basked in Paul’s brilliance, hosts Kenya had a mixed bag of results on day one, four boxers advancing, while five others fell short in their opening bouts. But it wasn’t all gloom for the Kenyan corner.

Several fighters rose to the occasion and delivered crowd-pleasing performances. Kenyan Abednego Kyalo, a continental light flyweight bronze medallist, showed class and calm under pressure, facing Tanzania’s Juma Athumani Juma.

He dominated the bout with clean punches and slick movement, even flooring his opponent in the third round to seal a confident 4-1 win and sail into the quarter-finals.

Situs Onyango, the Kenya Police rookie, still fresh on the continental scene, put on a dazzling display against Ethiopia’s Abel Alemu.

His sharp combinations and controlled aggression earned him a solid 4-1 win, booking a place in his first-ever Zone III semi-final.

Onyango is quickly becoming one to watch. Wiseman Livondo from Kenya was the surprise package of the day as he shook the arena to its core, with a dramatic upset over Cameroon’s seasoned fighter, Oumarou Mouhamed.

Fighting with the hunger of a debutant and the poise of a veteran, Livondo punched his way into the welterweight semi-finals, turning heads with his fearless approach.

In an all-Kenyan clash in the middleweight division, Edwin Okong’o made light work of his compatriot George Cosby, cruising to a clinical 5-0 win in one of the most commanding performances of the day. Despite the highs, there were hard lessons for Team Kenya.

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Former Zone III champion Shaffi Bakari, now competing in the bantamweight class, was uncharacteristically flat and fell 3-1 to Rwanda’s Iranezeza Aime.

Emmanuel ‘Manu’ Chondo was similarly outboxed by Congo’s Kolongo Bakora from Democratic Republic of The Congo, who controlled the pace and landed the heavier shots to secure a clear 4-1 win.

In the lightweight division, Ethan Maina struggled against Uganda’s Jimmy Adriko, losing 5-0, while Washington Wandera was outclassed by none other than Ezra Paul, whose clinical precision and power stole the show.

Kenya’s Joseph Shigali, a welterweight bronze medalist, also failed to progress, falling to Uganda’s Edward Mukwaya in a bout where he couldn’t find his rhythm.

The 2025 AFBC Zone III Championships have attracted over 120 boxers from nine countries.

While Kenya leads the charge with 35 fighters, the original field of 12 nations was trimmed after Burundi, Somalia and the Central African Republic withdrew just before the opening bell.

With fierce talent, rising stars and national pride on the line, the road to gold is already proving to be anything but easy.

If Day One is a sign of what’s to come, boxing fans are in for an electric, action-packed week.