NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 23 – Rayton Okwiri’s hopes of
returning to the Olympic Games were shattered on Sunday evening after bowing
out to Ugandan David Ssemujji on a split decision in the middleweight division
at the Tokyo 2020 qualifiers in Dakar, Senegal.

Okwiri, a Kenyan Olympian in Rio 2016 had briefly given up
his professional career to have another shot at medaling at the Olympics, but
all those dreams were brought tumbling down like a pack of cards by the Ugandan
Africa Games silver medalist.

“I was really fit enough for this fight. I heard the guy is
from pro and has come back. So I did what I had to do and won. I am called The
Animal and I don’t mind so whoever comes my way I just smash him down. This
fight shows you where I am going because after the Olympics I want to turn pro,”
the Ugandan said after the bout.

The meeting between the two East Africans was billed to be
the bout of the tournament, with Ssemuji exempted from the preliminary round
and handed a bye while Okwiri came in with such healthy pedigree.

In the second, just as it seemed Okwiri was getting on top,
Ssemujji fired back with a big uppercut. But after two rounds, it was the
Kenyan who was in front of the scorecards – three judges gave him the first
round while four the second.

However, the Ugandan big hitter responded in the final round
in a bid to turn the bout into his side. Okwiri tried to respond, launching a
relentless body assault in the final minute.

However, the judges went on to give Ssemuji the points, the
number one seed going through to the next round on a split decision.

Kenya’s main hopes will now rest on skipper Nick Okoth who
progressed to the quarter finals of the featherweight category after
out-punching Wilson Semedo of Cape Verde earlier on Sunday.

On Monday, Humphrey Ochieng will step on the canvas in the
light-heavyweight category against Moroccan Mohamed Assghir while Africa Games
bronze medallist Boniface Mogunde will trade punches with Algerian Chemseddine
Kramou in the preliminary round of the welterweight division.

In the women’s side, Elizabeth Akinyi will battle it out
with Faruza Osuman of Ghana in the welterweight quarterfinals.

(Visited 13 times, 13 visits today)