Hassan, Owuor advance at GC2018 after Ocholla boxed out

Shafi Hassan and Edwin Owuor are the first Kenyan boxers to qualify for the second round following the quick exits of Nicholas Okoth and Elly Ocholla at the Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Three judges in a five-man panel scored in favour of Hassan following his round of 16 bout with Namibia’s Matias Hamunyela as the Mombasa-based fighter booked a last 8 showdown Uganda’s Juma Miiro.

Owuor edged Selemani Kidunda by a similar margin in the Men’s 75kg Round of 32, claiming one knockdown against the Tanzanian in the third round.

“He is a good opponent but I am happy I sailed through to the round of 16,” Owuor said after the fight.

However, his opponent fell short of saying that he had been robbed the fight.

“I didn’t do very well in the opening round but I dominated the second and third rounds and I am sure boxing enthusiasts know who the winner was,” Kindunda claimed.

’Hit Squad” coach Patrick Maina admitted the Tanzanian had given a good challenge and acknowledged Owuor had punched above his weight en route to the ‘deserved’ win.

Maina added that unlike the All Africa Games, this time they had to change Hassan’s style and tactics that helped him dispatch the Namibian Hamunyela.

“I worked on movement and speed this time round and Shaffi had little difficulty getting round his opponent,” he said.

Earlier in the 91kg category, Ocholla lost to Scot Forrest of Scotland 5-0 with focus now shifting on Benson Gicharu who will fight Peter McGrail of England on Saturday.