Ferdinand Omanyala set for boxing bout against fellow sprinter

Tyson Juma (L) has challenged Ferdinand Omanyala to a friendly boxing fight before the end of the year.

ATHLETICS Ferdinand Omanyala set for boxing bout against fellow sprinter

Mark Kinyanjui 09:15 - 30.10.2023

Fast-rising 100m sprinter Tyson Juma has challenged his friend and hero Ferdinand Omanyala to a friendly boxing match before the end of the year in a move that is sure to cause waves amongst interested observers.

Fast-rising 100m sprinter Tyson Juma has challenged his friend and hero Ferdinand Omanyala to a friendly boxing match before the end of the year in a move that is sure to cause waves amongst interested observers.

The 24-year-old, who was also a rugby player before switching to track after suffering a serious injury just like Africa’s fastest man, has challenged Omanyala to a battle inside the ring hilariously after admitting that Omanyala is “faster” and can “beat” him on track.

Posting on his Instagram page, Juma asked Omanyala to come and fight him at the AV Fitness Centre in Nairobi where he has been conducting his training to see if one of the world’s fastest men would replicate his dominance on the track in a boxing ring.

“Hi guys, this is Tyson Juma, ‘mnyama’ here, calling out the fastest man in Africa, Commonwealth champion Ferdinand Omanyala on a boxing match, me and him,” he stated.

“You are faster than me on track, let’s see if you are faster than me here on the boxing ring, here at AV Fitness (gym).

 “Come on Ferdinand Omanyala. Don’t you dare miss. I am looking forward to this, don’t you dare miss!”

Juma and Omanyala are great friends who often train together, with the speedster even saying he has received lots of sprinting advice from Omanyala, who he describes as a fantastic person, but admits that, although he is fast, he is not as fast as Omanyala on the track yet and wants to try his luck on the ring.

Juma stood out after his Indoor 60m show in Miramas alongside Omanyala earlier this year.

Being that the event marked his international sprinting debut, Juma could only manage a fourth-place finish in 6.97 and could not manage to proceed to the final. 

Over the 100m distance, he has a personal best time of 10.47, and there is an optimistic feeling that he can get much faster as he continues practising his art.

Pulse Sports however, did approach him for comment in response to his post, and there is a sense that both athletes have mutually agreed to do it.

“Ferdinand is my guy. He knows what is going on. There is no animosity between us. I just decided to hype it up. We don’t know what will happen in the coming days, but it would be interesting to see what traction it can get,” Juma said.

There will be a big round of boxing matches that will take place at the Nyayo National Stadium on 9th December this year in an epic showdown that is sure to attract a lot of fans from all over the region.

The Finix Fight night, as is the name of the event, is sure to see a lot of reputable boxers feature, including Tanzanian Karim ‘Mtu Kazi’ Mandoga, and Juma has earmarked the event as a potential date to stage his fight with Omanyala which would serve as a “curtain raiser”.

“We have few people on board with the idea, including the boxing federation chairman, as well as the directors who are part of it.”

Follow Pulse Sports WhatsApp channel for more news.

Tags: