BOXING
Frank Rotich 10 months ago

Okaka says he picked valuable lessons from Elite Men’s World Championships

Kenya's Robert Okaka in action at the World Championships. [Courtesy]

Kenya’s Robert Okaka says he leaves the Elite Men’s World Boxing Championships in Dubai with pride, despite bowing out in the quarter-finals.

‎‎The Kenya Defence Forces boxer, who was stopped by Russia’s Dzhambulat Bizhamov, said he quickly realised the Russian class and experience from the first round.

Okaka admits Bizhamov’s calmness and sharp technique forced him to change his usual attacking style.

“I learned a lot on speed, accuracy, and how to stay relaxed,” Okaka said. “If I had attacked him like I normally do, he would have finished me early.”

‎With that in mind, his coaches advised him to stay smart, use the ring corners, and take the fight the full distance to gain valuable lessons from the tougher opponent.

The 31-year-old, once a garbage collector and water vendor in Nairobi, now walks away with renewed motivation — and the biggest payday of his career.

Thanks to the International Boxing Association’s new financial model, quarter-finalists earned $10,000 (about Sh1.3 million) for the first time.

“If it wasn’t for God, I wouldn’t have won my earlier fights,” Okaka said. “I prayed before every bout, and I won. I never imagined I would ever earn such money, but IBA made it possible.”

‎Okaka says the experience and earnings mark a major step forward in his boxing journey, and he hopes to build on the lessons learned in Dubai as he prepares for future competitions.