- Kenya’s John Juma won the WBA Africa Gold Lightweight title after defeating Tanzania’s Charles Chilala by technical knockout at the SportPesa Boxing Night.
- The first quarter edition of the 2026 SportPesa Boxing Night was held on Friday, April 3, at the Edge Convention Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.
- Four other titles were also contested, including two Pugilistic Syndicate of Tanzania (PST) belts and two national titles, in a thrilling night that featured 10 exciting fights.
Kenya’s John Juma is the new WBA Africa Gold Lightweight champion after flooring Tanzania’s international contender Charles Chilala on Friday night in a thrilling SportPesa Boxing Night that was staged at the Edge Convention Center Nairobi.
This marked the first time ever that a World Boxing Association (WBA) Africa Gold belt was being hosted in Kenya, and the feat was made successful by the leading online gaming firm SportPesa in collaboration with UFS BXNG under Maurice.
On Friday, it was the main card of the evening in a packed arena where fans buzzed around the ring and the stands as John Juma snatched his very first boxing title since turning pro back in 2024.
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John Juma clinches WBA Africa Gold Lightweight title at Friday’s SportPesa Boxing Night
Facing a formidable opponent, Juma knew his 11-match unbeaten streak was on the line, but he managed to be the strongest man in the ring where his jabs were exceptionally sharp from round one in the 10-round bout, while Chilala was more of a defensive fighter.
As much as the fans might have wished for a full 10-round contest, it did not go that distance – Juma, who threw jabs and punches that landed cleanly, managed to smash Chilala in the fourth round via technical knockout to capture his first-ever title and ensure it stayed in the country.
Speaking after the clash, Juma, 30, stated that he cannot believe his dream has come to fruition and revealed he was fully prepared to win the title by any means.
“I thank God for this win. I was very prepared for this title. I live to train, and when getting into the ring, I don’t see an opponent who is strong or easy to beat, I just do my thing, and I did it,” Juma said after the match. “I feel happy winning this title in Kenya. I know it’s very hard for people to get one of these, so I feel blessed.”
Meanwhile, Chilala, who was on an 11-match win, added a fourth loss to his record which also includes three draws, but the Tanzanian pro believes he was on the verge of winning only that Juma was a powerful adversary as he conceded defeat.
“I believe in every competition there is a time to win and a time to lose, and today was not my day. I concede the defeat. I will go back to the drawing board because fighting is my job, and I’ll ensure next time I come strong and ready to win,” Chilala stated.
The SportPesa Boxing Night’s first quarter edition was a thrilling event where 10 bouts were fought, with five titles including the WBA one on the line.
Before Juma wrapped up the thrilling night, four other titles were won. First was the National Super Welterweight Title where Michael Oduor and Stanley Mukholo went at each other in the 10-round bout.
Oduor, also known as Puncher, managed to withstand all the pressure from Mukholo and in the fifth round he beat him via technical knockout to win his first-ever title.
Meanwhile, in the National Welterweight Title pitting Richard Okoth against David Oluoch – for a 10 rounds – the fight went all the way to the eighth round, where the match was forced to stop after Richard Okoth sustained an arm dislocation when throwing a punch.
The decision made through enormous votes by the judges went contrary to what many people thought, as Okoth was announced the champion despite Oluoch putting up a good fight throughout the rounds.
The other titles included the PST Women’s Super-Featherweight Title, where Kenyan Rael Asubwe took on Tanzanian Leila Yazidu in a 10-round fight that went the full distance, with Yazidu winning the title by enormous votes.
In the men’s category, PST Lightweight Title saw Kenya’s Javan Buyu take on Tanzania’s Athumani Nassoro, and it was Javan Buyu who managed to bag his second title in just his seventh bout since turning pro.
Other fights on the card included the former WBC champion Fatuma Zarika, who floored Tanzanian Flora Machela in the Women’s Super-Featherweight division.
