Kenyan boxer eyes gold medal in last show of Commonwealth Games

NAIROBI, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's top light heavyweight boxer Nick Abaka says he wants to bow out of amateur boxing with win at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast from April 4-15.

At 38, Abaka will only be making his second show at the Club Games, but knows the caliber of competition will be strong.

However, he has immersed himself in training and hopes he will emerge stronger and punch above his weight as he seeks to atone the disappointment of being knocked out in the quarterfinals during the last competition in Glasgow, Scotland in 2014.

"I will be making my second appearance at the Commonwealth Games, having represented Kenya in 2014 edition in Glasgow, Scotland."

"Competition at this stage is strong, but it is about my own preparations that give me confidence, I will get a medal this time round," Abaka said on Sunday from Nakuru.

For a man who ventured into boxing back in the 1990's he believes he got enough experience to weather the storm and fire himself to the medal table.

"As a true soldier, I have one bullet left in my barrel. Glasgow was an eye-opener. I reached quarterfinals. This time I want to move a step higher and reach the finals," he said.

Meanwhile, the dreams of flyweight boxer, Mohammed Ali of competing Gold Coast Commonwealth Games have been shattered following the omission of his name from the list of seven Kenya boxers for the Games.

Kenya's head of delegation Barnaba Korir said Ali's name was not among the selected but instead the spot will be taken up by Brian Agina.

Boxing Association of Kenya President John Kameta said Ali was sick and had not trained in the last three weeks since returning from the India Open Boxing tournament in Delhi, India last month. Enditem