President William Ruto has hailed the winner of the much-hyped Vurugu fight that went down Saturday night, April 4, at the Kasarani Indoor Arena.
The well-attended spectacle pitted Majembe against Mbavu the destroyer.
Born Portifas Odipo, Majembe emerged victorious after sending a brutal body shot that floored his opponent, Mbavu, officially known as Ferdinand Omondi.
Mbavu lay helpless as medics rushed in, but his fight was already over.
Unable to continue, he conceded defeat, and the referee swiftly awarded 21-year-old Majembe a technical knockout triumph.
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The president, while hailing Majembe for the feat, congratulated the two of them for the riveting display that aroused the spirit of boxing in the country.
"Congratulations, Majembe (Portifas Odipo), on your victory against Mbavu Destroyer (Ferdinand Omondi) in yesterday’s Vurugu Championship. Both of you put up a spirited fight, delivering an entertaining match that kept us on edge, too close to call," he said.
Judging from the attendance and excitement across the country, the president appreciated the willingness of Kenyans to support sporting activities.
He committed to putting in place measures to re-establish boxing among the mainstream sports in the country.
"This match has reignited the passion for boxing across the country, restoring fan belief and excitement in the sport. We commit to sustain this momentum by supporting the sport, investing in talent, and creating opportunities to grow boxing across the country," Ruto said.
The fight happened after two months of hype and clout, during which Kenyans were introduced to two amateur boxers from Nairobi’s low-income estates striving to launch their careers,
Before the match, in a short video shared online, President Ruto had joined the frenzy, wishing them well ahead of the bout.
He sweetened the moment by pledging Ksh1 million to each fighter.
With the victory, Majembe took home the Vurugu Championship Belt, a Ksh1 million cash prize, a brand-new Toyota Noah from Odi Bets, a sleek Taro GP1 sport bike, and a full year’s gym membership to keep him fight-ready.
