All Boxers Weigh-In Ahead Of Zarika, Mercado Title Bout

NAIROBI, Kenya- With only a day left until the most anticipated boxing match in recent Kenyan history, all participating boxers were present for the weigh-in at a Nairobi hotel on Friday morning. 

The headlining fight of the night will see Fatuma ‘Iron Fist’ Zarika take on Yamileth Mercado as they young Mexican seeks to dethrone the Kenyan champ as the WBC Super Bantamweight champion of the world. 

The event will be held at the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) on Saturday from 6pm.

“We are looking forward to the fight night tomorrow and I hope I will see all of you there. 

“Let’s begin the weighing process with the undercards before we finish off with the boxers of the main event,” Stephen Okumu, who was in charge of the weighing stated. 

There will be three fights before the main event of the day. 

The first one will be a lightweight bout between Kenyans George Onyango (61.23kg) and Fred Nekesa (61.20kg).

Charity Mukami (72kg) will take on Florence Muthoni (72.1kg) in a middleweight bout on the night at the KICC in Nairobi. 

The middleweight category for men will be contested by former Olympian who is based in the United States of America Rayton Okwiri (72.1kg) and Patrick Amote from Uganda (72.05kg). 

All three fights will last a maximum of six rounds and are expected to be more than worthy curtain-raisers for the WBC Super Bantamweight title fight. 

All boxers were subjected to a medical at the venue, as per the World Boxing Council rules and regulations simply to ensure that they are 100 percent healthy. 

Zarika training

Yamileth Mercado accompanied by her father who jetted into the country last night to witness the fight, was next on the stage and her total weight was 55.5kg. 

The champion then walked through the doors with her trainers from the United Kingdom, where she came from a two-month training stint courtesy of leading bookmakers, SportPesa. 

There was jubilation and applause from everyone present as she stepped on the scale, which read 55kg. 

“The day is almost here and my team has fully prepared me for the fight. I am very grateful for the elite coaches that have trained me very well. 

“I am ready to defend my title in front of my home fans and I promise not to let them down come tomorrow,” Zarika underlined. 

This will be the second time that Zarika will take to the ring to defend her title, following a unanimous decision victory against Zambian Catherine Phiri last December in Nairobi. 

“I’m very appreciative of the hospitality that I have received from the Kenyans since I got to Nairobi. 

“I am ready to fight tomorrow and take the title home,” the 20-year old Mercado stated. 

Mercado’s father also had a few remarks ahead of his daughters biggest ever career fight. 

“We are grateful for the opportunity that has been presented to us and for the hospitality we have been shown in this country,” he offered.