Heroic Okaka falls in quarter-final but ends Kenya’s 43-Year wait

Despite the unanimous decision, Okaka fought like a true warrior, pushing his formidable opponent to the very last second in their lucrative quarter-final showdown.

Okaka was the lone Kenyan among the 13 who travelled to Dubai to reach the quarter-finals. He booked his place in the last eight with a breathtaking display of power, precision and relentless aggression, overwhelming Tunisia’s Youssef Rafrafi in the third round of their light-heavyweight round-of-16 clash on Monday, December 8, 2025, at the Dubai Tennis Complex.

The Kenyan soldier outclassed Rafrafi—himself a 2024 Africa Championships bronze medallist—using sharp timing, explosive combinations and a barrage of accurate jabs to force a stoppage. With that victory, Okaka became the first Kenyan boxer in 43 years to advance to the quarter-finals of the World Championships.

Kenya’s last appearance at this stage of the IBA’s premier global event came in 1982 in Munich, when Olympic bronze medallist Ibrahim “Surf” Bilali and Hussein “Juba” Khalili both reached the quarters. Khalili fell to world icon Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker of the United States, while Bilali was defeated by South Korea’s Yong-Mo Heo.

With Okaka’s exit, Africa now has three boxers remaining in the tournament: Zambia’s Patrick Chinyemba and Emmanuel Katemba, and Mali’s Djibril Traore—all of whom have secured places in the semi-finals of the $8.32 million championship.

As the stakes rise, the competition has become increasingly fierce, with the remaining fighters eyeing the substantial prize money and the glory that comes with it.