The newly appointed World Alliance Boxing Association governor of the Commonwealth and Indo-Oceania region, Ruben Ndolo, has pledged to restore the fortunes of African boxers.
The seasoned administrator said he will work closely with WABA member associations to boost the status of African boxers on the global front.
“My main objective is to ensure African pro-boxers get the same recognition their colleagues from other continents get on the global stage,” Ndolo said.
“I want to leave a great legacy by making African boxers great. Boxing should be viewed as a sport that can change lives on the continent,” Ndolo stated.
Ndolo made the remarks after WABA confirmed his appointment on Thursday, in a letter written by the director of human resources management. Irene Joseph Magebo.
“I am honored and happy to inform you that the Board of Directors in its Ordinary Meeting held on September 01, 2023, has approved your name as the new Governor of the Commonwealth and Indo-Oceania region. Your appointment begins forthwith,” the letter read in part.
“As the governor of the Commonwealth and Indo-Oceania countries, your mandates will be to manage and guide the new region in the title tournaments, ring officials training, conventions, and sponsorship.”
Ndolo will hold the position for four years. He assumes his new role after a successful spell at the helm of the Commonwealth Boxing Council (CBC) from 2000 to 2002, where the continent got a glorious opportunity to showcase its boxing prowess.
He was the first CBC honcho to bring the AGM to Africa starting in Nairobi in 2000 and then to Accra, Ghana 2004, a feat that has never been matched by any other preceding CBC president.
“During my tenure as the president of CBC, African boxing enjoyed unprecedented grants of equipment from boxing stars and celebrities across the world,” Ndolo said.
“This was the time the IBF light heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. landed in Nairobi with a plane full of boxing equipment and other boxing goodies,” he added.
“African boxers like Sara Achieng and others got ample opportunity to fight for several CBC championship belts and enable them to gain international recognition as well as fame and money.”
Kenya will have a taste of WABA at the Nyayo Stadium Indoor Arena, where Kenya’s pro-boxing poster boy Rayton ‘Boom Boom’ Okwiri will battle it out with Malawian Chikondi Makawa on Saturday.