Mandonga beats Uganda’s Lukyamuzi to remain unbeaten in Kenya

Karim “Mtu Kazi” Mandonga lived up to his hype to beat Uganda’s Kenneth Lukyamuzi in a split decision and claim the vacant regional Pugilistic Syndicate of Tanzania (PST) light heavyweight title on Saturday in Nairobi.

Mandonga had to dig deep, using his good reach to outclass Lukyamuzi 74-78, 77-75 and 77-75 at the Moi International Sports Centre Gymnasium.

Victory over Lukyamuzi means Mandonga maintains his unbeaten record in Kenya and makes it two wins in a row, having in his previous fight defeated Kenya’s Daniel Wanyonyi through a technical knockout in the fifth round in December last year.

Mandonga was swift to call for a rematch with Wanyonyi, who also won on the night after taking two minutes of the first round to knockout Uganda’s Charles Kakande in another light heavyweight contest.

“I am ready to fight Wanyonyi anywhere on this continent…he won’t last three rounds and it is not a bet. I will beat him any time and any day, “said Mandonga.

“I am glad to win a title at last and this should give me a storey building after I was rewarded with two cars back home when I beat Wanyonyi,” Mandonga, who now has five wins, three losses and a draw (5-3-1).

Wanyonyi said he had not prepared well when he lost to Mandonga in December and promised to silence him in the first round in their rematch.

“I was rusty then to say the truth. I had just started training having taken a break for almost four years with Covid-19 complicating things,” said Wanyonyi, who took down Kakande thrice in the first round before referee Emmanuel Mlundwa halted the bout.

Wanyonyi, the former World Boxing Federation International champion, declared that he is back to his previous form.