Ongare to fight Tanzania’s Rahma Maganga as IBA Women’s Boxing Championships draw is released

Kenyan Commonwealth Games bronze medalist and Olympian Christine Ongare will face off with Tanzanian Rahma Maganga in the second bout of the IBA Women’s World Boxing Elite Women minimum weight Round of 32 bouts set for Thursday March 16 2023.

The full contingent of Kenya’s hit squad team expected to grace the biennial tournament jetted in New Delhi, India on Wednesday morning after having left the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Tuesday evening with a direct flight from Nairobi to Mumbai, and will now embark on a serious pursuit for medals.

IBA President Umar Kremev on Tuesday March 14 welcomed all stars of women boxing to New Delhi - where over 300 athletes from 65 nations have gathered to participate in the women’s boxing flagship event being held in India for the third time since the Championship’s inception.

India successfully hosted the 2006 and 2018 previous editions.

Ongare’s first bout will bring memories for the Kenyan Olympian as she faces a familiar opponent in Maganga - one she toppled in the East Africa Club Championships finals held in Dar es Salaam earlier this year.

In other bouts involving the Kenyan representatives, African heavyweight champion Elizabeth Andiego is already through to the championships quarter-finals after getting a bye in the first round, that will see her wait to meet the winner of the Round of 16 bout between Kazakhstan’s Sholtay Fariza and Trinidad and Tobago’s Boodram Leeann.

Light fly Veronica Mbithe will take on Colombia’s Valencia Victoria Lorena in the Round of 32 matchups while Ann Wanjiru will face fellow African Bagao Helena of Mozambique in the opening round of the flyweight category.

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DEFABA’s featherweight boxer Pauline Chege on the other hand will begin her debut in the continental championships with Guatemala’s Reyes Moreno on Thursday while Stacy Ayoma takes on Chiper Cristina of Moldova in the lightweight category.

Another debutant, Friza Anyango will mark her first challenge in the tournament against Algeria’s Khelif Imane in the first round of welterweight bouts before Africa Zone Three gold medalist Lorna Kusa takes on Colombia’s Vasquez Cortes Fernanda in the light middleweight last 16. Kusa last year lost to Khalzova Valentine in the Round of 32.

Kenya will hope to right the wrongs from the last championships in Istanbul, Turkey by winning a medal. The last female boxer to win a fight in the championships was Nakuru’s Mary Muthoni.