Mungai bins Chinas Bin for light fly quarters

Light Flyweight Boxer, Peter Mungai Warui advanced to the quarter finals of the men light fly 49kg division at the Rio 2016 Olympics on Monday after beating China’s Lyu Bin 2-1 on points.

The Kenyan Police constable took the first rounds after two of the three judges awarded him the perfect 10 points while the third gave him nine.

In the second round, Mungai was on top his game receiving a unanimous vote with his opponent prevailing in the final round after the Kenyan let his guard down.

Mungai shocked 21 year-old Bin who clinched The International Boxing Association (AIBA)’S February 2015 Boxer Of The Month and the association’s World Boxing Championships in Yerevan, Armenia

Speaking to Citizen Digital after the fight, the elated boxer promised to shift his attention to his upcoming fights as he continued his hunt for a podium finish.

“The fight wasn’t easy but Rayton Okwiri’s win yesterday (Sunday) motivated me and I went into the match believing anything was possible.

“I have now focused my concentration on the remaining rounds to see how far I can get. My main goal at the games is to get a podium finish,” Mungai told.

Kenyan boxers have so far recorded good performances at the world competition as Cameroon Africa Olympics Qualifiers gold medallist Okwiri progressed past the preliminary round of the men’s welterweight on Sunday.

Mungai becomes the second boxer to proceed past the first round at the quadrennial event since Suleiman Bilali advanced to the quarter final at the Athens 2004 Games losing to the eventual silver winner, Spain’s Rafael Lozano.

He qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Yaoundé Cameroon March qualifiers after South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee dismissed Sibusiso Bandla’s qualification.

Kenya’s other fighter Benson Gicharu will trade punches with Erdenebat Tsendbaatar from Mongolia on Wednesday.