'King George' Onyango crowned regional champion in Nairobi boxing blockbuster

Kenya’s George ‘King George’ Onyango was crowned the new East and Central African super welterweight champion, to cap yet another electrifying night of boxing at Mass House, Ngong Road on Friday, 15 May.

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Onyango, the headline act of Kalakoda Promotions’ ‘Nightmare in Nairobi IV’, brought the house down after delivering his biggest title to date, expertly edging out a tough Benjamin ‘Stone’ Mchunguzi in a belting 10-round contest that went the full distance.

Clad in red and silver trunks, Onyango, who ranks as the number one super welterweight boxer in the country, got the packed arena pumped, when he made his flashy entry to Fat Joe’s tune ‘All the way up’, perhaps painting a picture of where his career was headed on the night.

His opponent, however, was understated at best, carrying a calm confidence that belied the enormous shift he would display in the ensuing minutes.

The first five rounds were the proverbial chess-match, both men clearly studying each other to open the best cracks. Tanzanian Mchunguzi, with a cunning overhand right, looked to be gaining slight inroads, but every time one of his punches landed, a series of counters would rain on him, the home boy fully carrying the engaged crowd on his back.

Ready for war - "King George" pumped ahead of next month's title fight

In the seventh round, things began to speed up, with the mobile Onyango landing a couple uppercuts, all effort that bore a hard-hitting eighth round, which saw evidently tired bodies go hammer and tongs in devastating fashion.

It was the more diminutive Mchunguzi who was bringing the fight to Onyango, unleashing a barrage of shots, and forcing his man to raise his guard up in his corner.

Perhaps carried away by the adrenaline, and the sound of the ‘King George’ chant from the crowd, Onyango went full showboat mode in the ninth round, sticking his tongue out and verbally engaging Mchunguzi, all this while landing shots, and using the old-fashioned rope-a-dope to steal a win that felt not as distant as the three-judges' scorecard of 100-90, 99-91, and 98-82.

“I thank God for this win,” a jubilant Onyango, who was presented the conspicous green belt by Kenya Professional Boxing Commission President Reuben Ndolo, said post-fight. “Thanks to Kalakoda and the loyal fans for showing up, your support means the whole world. I now challenge anyone with courage to come and get this [belt] from me.”

Bearing dreams of becoming a World Champion, Onyango, with the win, took his record to 13-3-1, and now with a strapping around his waist to go with it.

Meanwhile in the supporting event, Kenya’s Martin Achebi made it two wins on the bounce, thanks to a unanimous decision victory over Uganda’s Abaasi Sseguya in a six-round welterweight contest.

Achebi, off a blockbuster Technical Knock-out (TKO) win in his last fight in February, was hugely expected to run over his opponent here, only to hold out till the last seconds of the final round to secure a decisive knock-down, which eventually eased him out to a 60-52 even scorecard.

'God's timing is best' - fast rising boxer George Onyango knocking on greatness

In the men’s supper middleweight, Kenya’s Sam ‘Mufasa’ Kugeluk had an easy day in his famed office after dismissing compatriot Leonard Owenge in the first round.

Kugeluk, fighting in his first Kalakoda bout, was easy money for the much older, weaker Owenge, dropping him with a right hook within seconds of round one, a shot that later brought out the towel at the break.

Also off to a bright start under the Kalakoda banner was Kenya’s decorated former amateur boxer Elizabeth ‘Silencer’ Andiego, who made light work of Tanzania’s Charles Mdemu to extend her professional record to 2-0.

Andiego, who beat Sabrina Mbwewe via unanimous decision in March, was again too polished for the rugged Mdemu, seizing the win in the second round, and bringing out the words: “I need a tougher opponent” post-fight. Who could blame her?

In the international fight, Croatia’s Arijan ‘Archie’ Goricki put on a masterclass to wipe out the naughty and stubborn Hassan Ndonga of Tanzania in the fourth round.

Coming in with a 16-7-1 record, Goricki showed his class as he bid his time to deliver two liver shots in the fourth, which left Ndonga on his knees, minutes after he had been deducted points for excessive holding.

In the two undercards, the crowd was treated to the advent of a new Kenyan sensation by the name of Abdi ‘The Boy Wonder’ Bashir, who delivered a unanimous decision victory over Tanzania’s Edbilious Respicious to take his unbeaten record to 7-0.

In the opening fight of the night, Kenya's Brian Marvin Achola secured a fourth-round TKO over Allen Mlati of Tanzania, to also remain invincible at 5-0.