Kenya’s Denzel Onyango suffered a defeat on his debut at the Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix, losing by Technical Knockout (TKO) to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Alija Mesic on Sunday night at the BLVD City Global Theater in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The loss saw Onyango eliminated from the first phase of the inaugural WBC Grand Prix—an elite, three-day global boxing tournament featuring 128 fighters, with the competition running through to December this year.
Kenya Professional Boxing Commission (KPBC) President Reuben Ndolo, who traveled to Riyadh alongside Onyango and his coach Julius Odhiambo, expressed disappointment over the early exit but praised the young boxer’s efforts.
“Denzel is still young and has great potential. I’ve seen him fight, and it’s that promise that earned him a place among the world’s top 128 in this tournament,” Ndolo said on Monday while en route back to Nairobi. “Though his run ends here, he’s gained valuable experience and I’m confident he’ll return stronger.”
The 22-year-old Mesic, who entered the bout with an even record of two wins and two losses from four professional fights, came out aggressively from the opening bell.
He landed a flurry of clean right hands that left Onyango defenseless and backed against the ropes. The referee stopped the fight just two minutes and 14 seconds into the first round.
Onyango, 24, had entered the ring with a perfect 5-0 professional record, including three wins by TKO. The loss marks the first setback in his budding career—a tough pill to swallow, but one that his trainer believes will only make him better.
“We prepared him the best we could,” said coach Julius Odhiambo. “However, we must acknowledge the gap in training resources between developing nations and countries with advanced sports infrastructure. That said, this is no excuse. We’ll regroup and return stronger next year.”
With the conclusion of the Grand Prix’s opening phase, attention now turns to the remaining rounds of the high-stakes tournament, which culminates on December 20.
Meanwhile, the KPBC plans to revisit its strategy to ensure Kenyan professional boxers are better equipped for global stages and are positioned for greater international recognition and opportunities.
“This is just the beginning,” Ndolo added. “We are determined to put Kenyan boxing on the map—not just for the sport, but for the careers and futures of our athletes.”
