Kenya's national team bantamweight pugilist Shaffi Bakari has his work aptly cut out as he firmly trains his eyes on bagging a maiden Commonwealth medal at the forthcoming 2022 Birmingham games set for July.
The boxer, who currently plies trade for Kenya Police in the local competition, told the Star he has been punching furiously on the bag as he limbers up for the second edition of the inaugural President Jamal Boxing Championship slated for Kisumu this week.
Bakari, whose stellar career took off in the humble neighbourhood of Kariobangi in Nairobi, will look to replicate the splendid form he exhibited during the first round of the national trials at Charter Hall a fortnight ago, where he stole the headlines after turning Kongowea's Mwinyi Kombo into mincemeat.
“I'm glad I managed to perform well in Nairobi during the first edition where I emerged champ in my category. That doesn't mean I should relax now. In boxing anything is possible and the biggest mistake would be to underrate an opponent,” he said.
Bakari reckons he accumulated invaluable lessons during his trip with the national team to Serbia for the World Boxing Championships held in October despite the team returning home empty-handed.
He also asked local boxing enthusiasts to cut the national team some flak following their dismal outing in Belgrade, saying the organizers moved the goalposts without prior notice.
“It would be misleading to say that we failed in Belgrade simply because we didn't bag a single medal. The reality is that we had prepared quite well for the event but we were disoriented by the drastic changes in the rules at the eleventh hour,” said Bakari.
He urged budding boxers to punch above their weight if they intend to leave an indelible mark on the global scene.
