Year-in-Review: Kenyan boxing found its soul again in 2025…but will it find its glory in 2026?

From gritty performances on the world stage to emotional nights at home championships, the national team, fondly known as the Hit Squad, reminded the continent and the globe that Kenya still belongs in serious boxing conversations. 

The medals were few, the controversies painful, but the soul of the sport burned brighter than it has in decades.

The clearest sign of revival came in Dubai at the Elite World Boxing Championships, where Kenya recorded its best outing in over 40 years. 

Winning five bouts may not sound historic to boxing superpowers, but for Kenya, long accustomed to early exits, it marked a shift in trajectory. 

Light-heavyweight Robert Okaka stood tallest, becoming the first Kenyan boxer since 1982 to reach the quarter-finals of the World Championships.

“The performance was above average,” Okaka said, crediting the Ndondi Mashinani Initiative.

“Winning and losing is part of the game. These matches help us understand our strengths and weaknesses as we prepare for our next international assignments.”

Launched in 2019, Ndondi Mashinani has quietly reshaped the national pipeline, producing fighters with better ring intelligence, conditioning and confidence.

In Dubai, debutants Paul Omondi and Washington Wandera won bouts on boxing’s biggest stage, while Shaffi Bakari once again proved he belongs at elite level. 

For Okaka, the run was deeply symbolic — a bridge between Kenya’s golden past and its hopeful future.

Back home, that momentum carried into regional competition. At the AFBC Zone 3 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya finished second overall behind defending champions DR Congo, tying with Uganda on five gold medals. 

The women led the charge, delivering some of the most electrifying moments of the tournament.

“I knew my opponent was attacking, so I was ready to counter,” said flyweight champion Veronica Mbithe after edging Uganda’s Brenda Muduwa in a tense final. 

Her composure reflected the growing maturity of Kenya’s women’s boxing program.

Amina Martha’s ruthless first-round knockout and Frizah Anyango’s dominant display further underlined a truth Kenyan boxing can no longer ignore—the women are no longer just competitive —they are championship material.

Yet 2025 also exposed old wounds. In Serbia, Elizabeth Andiego’s controversial stoppage against China reignited debates about officiating and fairness in international boxing. 

The pain of seeing Kenya’s last medal hope cut short unfairly was raw, emotional and unresolved. It was a reminder that glory is not only earned with fists, but also fought for in boardrooms and referee seminars.

Still, Boxing Federation of Kenya officials remain optimistic. The increased competitiveness, growing depth and international exposure point to a team on the rise.

Kenya found its soul again in 2025 — through resilience, reform and raw hunger. 

The question now is sharper and heavier: with better preparation, fairer officiating and sustained investment, can the Hit Squad turn that rediscovered soul into medals, moments and global glory in 2026?