Kenya queries Mtimaukanena/Andeso bout

The World Boxing Forum (WBF) is not recognised by the Kenya Professional Boxing Control (KPBC), Nation Online investigations have established.

And while Susan Andeso, who fought Agnes Mtimaukanena in the WBF title in May, is known by Kenya boxing authorities, the control body did not sanction her fight.

KPBC spokesperson Paul Ottey disclosed in a telephone interview from Nairobi on Thursday that the pairing of Andeso and Mtimaukanena was a mismatch.

“Whoever organised that fight, did it without our knowledge and it seems this was a fix. Andeso was supposed to fight an up-and-coming boxer in a non-title fight.

“We have very good professional female boxers in all the categories who are properly rated for title fights and Andeso is not among them. If the Malawi boxing authorities had alerted us, we could have intervened,” said Ottey.

KPBC has since advised boxing authorities in Malawi to get in touch when organising title fights against Kenyans.

Ottey’s position was backed by Kenya Boxing Federation (KBF) president Mussa Benjamin, who said although KBF is responsible for amateur boxing, “Andeso is not among the finest boxers here in Kenya.”

Eligibility

Ottey said Susan Muthuni is the reigning national welterweight champion in Kenya and is the one eligible for an international title fight.

He said the normal procedure in title fights is that boxers who hold national belts are the ones supposed to be in line for international title fights.

Nation Online investigations also established that Andeso has lost eight fights in a row. Prior to fighting Mtimaukanena, she fought and lost seven bouts.

According to www.boxrec.com, a website dedicated to updating boxer’s fights globally, Andeso never fought since 2009.

On October 28 2009, she lost through TKO to Jane Kavulani at Pal Pal Gymnasium in Nairobi. In 2010, she fought Fatima Zarika and lost on TKO.

A year a later, she lost on points to Consolota Musanga at Woodpark Restaurant in Nairobi. The same year, on November 27, she lost through unanimous decision to Judy Waguthii at Charter Hall in Kenya. This was the second time she fought Waguthii and lost.

Her latest fight, though not sanctioned by the Kenyan authorities, was the one against Mtimaukanena, which she lost again through TKO. According to boxing standards, Andeso could not have been given a title shot because of her poor record.

Conflict of interest

More information emerged leading to possible conflict of interest in the way WBF co-ordinator Emmanuel Kigula Mlundwa and Mtimaukanena’s manager Steve Msiska had conducted themselves in arranging the fight and awarding Mtimaukanena the licence.

This further discredits WBF and vindicates Malawi Boxing Association’s (Maba) earlier reservations on the title fight and the awarding of the belt.

Mlundwa, who coordinates WBF activities in Africa, is the one who issued Mtimaukanena a professional licence last year, after Maba had refused to grant her one.

“We could not issue her a professional licence because she had only fought two fights and ended in a draw and the other she won. It was not proper to certify her professional just after two fights. She, then, went to Tanzania where she obtained the licence,” said Maba general secretary Arthur Nanthulu.

Prior to the fight against Zamda Amani, which earned her the licence, Mtimaukanena fought against Diana Makumbe and Himisa Willy within 32 days, which again was against boxing rules.

Promoter of the fights then was Super Magic Promotions, but it was financed by Mawenzie Frieght Handlers, where Msiska is a director.

Fighting twice

A prominent figure in boxing, who did not want to be named, said it was against boxing rules for Mtimaukanena to fight twice within a month.

“It begs questions to her professionalism because it is not allowed anywhere in the world for a boxer to fight twice within a month. When you raise such issues, some people think you are jealousy of Mtimaukanena, but that is not the issue,” he said.

Msiska and Mlundwa have remained resolute, saying WBF is a bonafide boxing body.

Mtimaukanena has all along been referring issues on the matter to Msiska who, this week, maintained that it is possible in boxing to promote a fight for a boxer under your stable and that there is no conflict of interest.

Asked on how they arrived at Andeso, Msiska said she was recommended to them by Mlundwa.

“Initially, they were supposed to send us a different boxer, but the one who was supposed to come had an injury, so they sent Andeso,” said Msiska.

He admitted that it was an anomaly to substitute, but argued that Mtimaukanena was about to sit for examination so they had to rush the fight.

The ongoing row has, however, attracted government’s attention.

This week, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Malawi National Council of Sports (MNSC) said they would institute an investigation into the matter.

“We are looking into the issue to establish the truth if the belt was achieved on merit or the nation was misled. Once we establish that, we will make our position known,” said council executive secretary George Jana.