Nairobi Fight Night 2: Confident Phiri Arrives Ready To Challenge World Champ Zarika
19th March 2019
Tickets for the Nairobi Fight Night are on sale on mookh.com, with regular tickets going for KSHs 1,000 and VIP at KSHs 3,000
- Zambian boxer Catherine Phiri arrived in Nairobi early Tuesday morning full of confidence ahead of her title bout against World Boxing Council Super Bantamweight champion Fatuma Zarika
- Her trainer Michael Zulu and promoter Christopher Malunga accompanied Phiri, as she jetted into the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for a second run at the coveted world title
- Phiri and Zarika will take to the ring for a second time at the Kenya International Convention Center (KICC) on Saturday, March 23 in a highly anticipated event dubbed ‘Nairobi Fight Night’
NAIROBI, Kenya- Zambian
boxer Catherine Phiri arrived in Nairobi early Tuesday morning full of
confidence ahead of her title bout against World Boxing Council Super
Bantamweight champion Fatuma Zarika.
Her trainer Michael Zulu and promoter Christopher Malunga
accompanied Phiri, as she jetted into the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
for a second run at the coveted world title.
Phiri and Zarika will take to the ring for a second time at
the Kenya International Convention Center (KICC) on Saturday, March 23 in a highly
anticipated event dubbed ‘Nairobi Fight Night’.
World champion Zarika returned to the country last Saturday following
a month-long training stint in the United Kingdom under the watchful eye of trainer
Declan O’Rourke and support of former World Cruiserweight Champion, Tony
Bellew.
“I am happy to be here, it’s not my first time in Kenya so I
feel like I’m home.
“I am well prepared for the fight and I have no doubt that I
will put on a good show on Saturday,” the 32-year old Phiri told SportPesa
News.
READ
ALSO: Zarika, Mwakinyo Arrive From The UK In Style For Nairobi Fight Night
“I’m satisfied with the training that I have been doing and
having worked on the mistakes I made the last time, I am confident I will win
the fight,” she added.
The two fighters will trade fists for a second time in 15
months after Zarika outlasted her in 10 rounds to retain her WBC title at the
Carnivore Grounds in Nairobi on Saturday, December 2, 2017.
Phiri, who beat Mexican Yazmin Rivers in 2016 to be crowned
WBC bantamweight champion, lost the close contest through a unanimous point
decision of 97-92, 98-91 and 99-92 from the three international judges.
“I haven’t come for anything less than the belt and Zarika should
know that.
“There has to be a winner and a loser, that’s how the game
goes. This time round, I am confident of victory,” Phiri underlined.
Her opponent and favorite Zarika won the WBC Super
bantamweight title in 2016 in Flint, Michigan against Jamaican Alicia Ashley
and defended it most recently against Mexican Yamileth Mercado in Nairobi.
READ
ALSO: Nairobi Fight Night 2: Just Who Is Catherine Phiri?
The victory extended the Kenyan’s win record to 31, 17 of
which have been through knockouts and Phiri has been unbeaten since she lost to
Zarika giving Saturday’s fight the billing to be an unforgettable one.
“The result of this fight has no impact on my future because
I do not plan to stop boxing anytime soon. There is still plenty I would like
to achieve in my career and I can’t stop until I have,” she concluded.
Tickets for the Nairobi Fight Night are on sale on mookh.com, with regular tickets going for KSHs
1,000 and VIP at KSHs 3,000.