- The SportPesa Boxing Rising Stars gets to its second round on Thurday February 26, 2026 ahead of the first quarterly main showdown.
- Eight non-title fights are lined up for the night, with 16 rising stars stepping into the spotlight.
- The action will be streamed exclusively on YouTube, kicking off at 6 PM EAT and running until 10 PM.
The second round of the SportPesa Boxing Rising Stars is set for Thursday, February 26, as the first quarterly showdown of the year approaches, courtesy of leading gaming firm SportPesa in collaboration with Ultra Fight Series (UFS).
Eight non-title fights are lined up for the night, with 16 rising stars stepping into the spotlight.
The action will be streamed exclusively on YouTube, kicking off at 6 PM EAT and running until 10 PM.
Fans eager to catch the electrifying event can tune in via the SportPesa YouTube channel @ https://www.youtube.com/@sportpesa/streams
ALSO READ: SportPesa inject 40 million to revive Kenyan boxing in UFS partnership
SportPesa Boxing Rising Stars Round 2 preview
Two fights will headline the evening. The main clash features Kenyan boxing standout Salim Omoit taking on Taafu Odoyi in a six-round, non-title super middleweight showdown.
Omoit enters the ring aiming to stretch his unbeaten streak to six fights, having won all five of his previous outings.
His last appearance saw him stop Kenyan rival Otieno Owenge via fourth-round TKO during the Boxing and Dinner fight night.
On the other side, 31-year-old Ugandan veteran Taafu Odoyi brings plenty of experience.
Despite securing just one win via KO, in seven professional bouts, he remains a resilient competitor.
His most recent high-profile outing was a rematch against Abdul “Breaker-Breaker” Njego on February, 2025, in Kulambiro, Uganda, where Odoyi lost by unanimous decision after eight rounds.
Following that clash, Kenyan star Denzel Onyango will battle Ugandan boxer Rashid Abdul in a six-round, non-title cruiserweight contest.
ALSO READ: Buyu & Juma deliver stunning knockouts as SportPesa Boxing Rising Stars debuts in Nairobi
Onyango is no pushover, he’s been around the game for a while and is a former WABA Africa Supreme Lightweight champion, a title he claimed in 2023.
He’ will be eager to prove his mettle once again and notch his sixth career win, having triumphed in five of his six bouts.
His most recent outing, however, ended in defeat during his historic appearance at the inaugural Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia on April 20 2025.
Onyango, the only Kenyan in that tournament, suffered a first-round TKO at the hands of Bosnia’s Alija Mesic.
His opponent, Rashid Wanyama, is still searching for his first victory after three losses since debuting last year. Thursday night offers him another shot at breaking the duck.
ALSO READ: Zarika embraces SportPesa Boxing Rising Stars initiative as a game-changer for youth
This marks the second round of the SportPesa Boxing Rising Stars since the inaugural event on Thursday, January 29, which featured 10 bouts.
The gaming firm has committed KSh 40 million to revitalize boxing in Kenya through this initiative.
In partnership with UFS, the program will consist of nine events divided into quarters.
Each quarter includes two smaller events spotlighting emerging talent, dubbed SportPesa Boxing Rising Stars, leading up to a major finale titled SportPesa Boxing Night.
Following Thursday’s event, the next big night will offer more than just a YouTube stream, tickets will go on sale as champions from the preliminary legs take center stage.
SportPesa Boxing Rising Stars – Second Round Fixtures; Thursday, February 26, 2026
- Denzel Onyango (Kenya) vs Abdul Wanyama (Uganda) – Cruiserweight, six rounds (Main event)
- Salim Omoit (Kenya) vs Taafu Odoyi (Uganda) – Super middleweight, six rounds (Co-feature)
- Collins Nyakwaka vs Otieno Owenge – Super middleweight, six rounds
- Simon Muriithi vs Amos Amenya – Super lightweight, four rounds
- Jin Shen vs Jeremiah Aboku – Super bantamweight
- Victor Wesonga vs Isaac Kibe – Lightweight, four rounds
- Edwin Owino vs Salim Irungu – Super featherweight
- Omar Karanja vs Dennis Ashley – Lightweight, four rounds
