Okwiri to face Tanzanian opponent in next month's middleweight title bout

Days after having his scheduled February fight postponed, Kenyan professional boxer Rayton Okwiri will be back in the ring late next month, and in a title fight.

Mozzart Sport can confirm that the 2019 African Boxing Union [ABU] middleweight champion will on 23 March take on Tanzania’s Meshack Ambukege Mwankemwa in a WBF Middleweight Intercontinental title fight set to take place in a yet-to-be-confirmed venue in Nairobi.

The bout for the vacant belt will be Okwiri’s 12th go in a professional fight, and will give him opportunity to get to 10 wins owing to his 9-1-1 record.

It also comes directly after his WABA Supreme Africa Middleweight title win over Malawi’s Chikonda Makawa in September last year.

The 37-year old was last weekend set to battle it out against Malawian opponent Limbani Chikapa in a non-title fight in Mauritius, but was postponed due to tropical storms in the region of Moka.

Tropical storm shelves Okwiri's bout with Chikapa

After the postponement, Okwiri had hinted at the possibility of an upcoming fight, and stated that his training was not going to be curtailed.

In front of him will be a 27 year old boasting a 24-16-2 record, and without a win in his last three bouts against international opponents.

His last win was on 24 December 2022, when he beat fellow countryman Abdul Ubaya, who was only making his ninth ring appearance.

The orthodox boxer arrives in the country on Wednesday 28 February for a media conference on Thursday.

Andiego to lead six Hit Squad boxers in Paris Olympic Qualifying Tournament