Kenya's Commonwealth champion Sarah Achieng aka Angel of War (15-2-0, 8 KOs) will face Argentina's former WBC/WBA unified featherweight world champion Edith Soledad Matthysse (17-13-1, 1 KO) for the vacant World Boxing Foundation (WBF) super lightweight women's world title on May 12 in Mombasa.
The 10-round fight will be promoted by Boxgals Promotions, and sanctioned by the WBF and Kenya Professional Boxing Commission (KPBC).
For the 35-year-old Achieng (pictured), this a chance in a lifetime to vie for a world title in her relentless pursuit for glory. If Achieng wins in Mombasa, she will become Kenya's second female pro boxer to clinch a world title after former WBC super bantamweight champion Fatuma Zarika.
"I'm so excited, it's an opportunity I've been longing for many years, now it has come I'm ready for the big fight and I appeal to Mombasa fans to turn up in large numbers to watch Angel of War in action at the Coast for the first time as a pro," says Achieng who captured the Commonwealth super lightweight title on October 20, 2021 with a unanimous points win over Malawi's Anisha Basheel at Nairobi's Charter Hall. She successfully defended the title last December by stopping Zimbabwe's Chiedza Homakoma in the 8th round in Nairobi.
"As for my Argentine opponent I don't know much about her, as usual I don't underrate my opponents but she should be prepared for total war," says Achieng.
Achieng, unbeaten in seven fights so far since her last points loss to compatriot Judy Waguthii in 2014, made her professional debut on August 9, 2008 against Bena Kaloki, losing the four round featherweight bout on points.
She then outpointed Uganda's Hawa Daku over 10 rounds to capture the East and Central Africa featherweight title on December 24, 2011 in Nairobi. Achieng defended the title the following year against Uganda's Eva Zalwango whom she TKO'd in the seventh of a scheduled 10 round fight in Nairobi.
Commenting on her title defence against ZaIwango, Achieng says: "The fight was tight, she was very strong, but the referee stopped the fight in the 7th round. She claimed I should have won the fight on points not on TKO but I beat her proper."
Achieng's ascendancy went on successfully, and on July 31, 2015, she outpointed compatriot Everline Odero to capture the national lightweight title. Later the same year she defeated Russian Marina Popova at her backyard to win the Universal Boxing Organisation lightweight belt.
Achieng's world title fight will be promoted by Boxgals Promotions which has been revived by her coach and founder of Boxgirls Kenya community-based organisation Alfred Analo aka PriestAnalo, the Boxgirls Kenya head coach, explains why he has decided to revive the promotion company: "I took it upon myself to revive my promotion that was in charge of Achieng's fights when she started pro boxing. I've done this because of challenges she's been facing in terms of her delayed payments and other upcoming boxers."
Adding "Where the will is stronger, with the skills, the world is yours for you to conquer. What the WBF world title means for Sarah and myself can only be described as a result of hard work, focus, consistency, determination and perseverance."
Achieng's Argentine opponent, 42-year-old Edith Soledad Matthysse, is a former unified featherweight world champion. She held World Boxing Association (WBA) female title from 2013 to 2016 and World Boxing Council (WBC) in 2015 to 2016.
She's the elder sister to former world champion Lucas Matthysse, and made her pro debut in 2007, outpointing Graciela Adriana Becerra.
The Mombasa world title fight is an initiative of former Kenyan international star boxer George Adipo aka Kidi who is WBF's Coordinator and Supervisor in Africa.
Says Adipo of the WBF super lightweight fight: "I'm so glad to have played a big role to bring a world title fight to Kenya. The main sponsors are Sarova Hotels. They will confirm the venue of the fight by Saturday."
Adipo says they're planning to include Tanzanians and Ugandans in the undercards to give it a truly regional flavour especially in view of the fact that it will be televised live by DSTv through their entertainment channels Maisha Magic Poa in Tanzania, Maisha Magic East and Maisha Magic East Gotv in Kenya, Pearl Magic and Pearl Magic Loko in Uganda.
The World Boxing Foundation was established in 1988 in Tennessee in the USA by its first president Larry Carrier under the name World Boxing Federation.
In 2004, the fourth president, Australia's Mick Croucher took over leadership and renamed it World Boxing Foundation. After legally taking over ownership, Croucher, who still heads WBF and operates it from Melbourne, made sure he kept it's internationally and legal trademarked acronym and brand to WBF. Croucher's vice president is Paul Saunders.
Over the years, WBF has grown into a strong global sanctioning body, maintaining it's strong values of honesty and integrity.
