Tanzania’s Mwakinyo up to 16th in world rankings

What you need to know:

  • According to the latest rankings released yesterday by Boxrec – a website dedicated to holding records of professional boxers, Mwakinyo has climbed 158 places to 16th in the super-welterweight category.

Dar es Salaam. Victory over England’s Sam Eggington has powered Tanzanian boxer Hassan Mwakinyo into the top 20 in the world rankings.

According to the latest rankings released yesterday by Boxrec – a website dedicated to holding records of professional boxers, Mwakinyo has climbed 158 places to 16th in the super-welterweight category.

“It is good for my image. It is my wish to continue rising, it puts me on the market and my aim now is to break into the top 10,” Mwakinyo was quoted as saying from London yesterday.

On Saturday night, the new boxing sensation registered a Technical Knock Out (TKO) win against Sam Egginngton at the Birmingham Arena in England.

The 23-year-old came out the blocks firing, clearly intent on making the most of his moment on the big stage.

He unloaded a barraged of flush shots on his opponent in the corner to win the first round, and that spelled the beginning of the end for the British boxer.

The minute in-between rounds did little to knock Eggington into gear and he came out to face a relentless flurry of thudding blows.

With no answer, the referee mercifully waved off the contest a few seconds into the second round.

The convincing victory, the second for Mwakinyo since venturing into professional boxing, enabled him to garner enough points to push him 158 places to 16th.

The talented but humble boxer, who has been hailed by the minister for Information, Youth, Culture, Arts and Sports, Harrison Mwakyembe, as one of the best boxers Tanzania has ever produced, says he will take a break while awaiting confirmation of his next opponent.

Mwakinyo is the only African boxer in the world’s top 50 in the super-welterweight category, according to the latest Boxrec rankings.

He can now fight against any super-welterweight boxer in the world.

Zimbabwean boxer Charles Manyuchi is placed 57th in the rankings with 54 points.

Jarrett Hurd of the United States tops the rankings with 318 points, followed by Erislandy Lara and Jermell Charlo – both from the US with 306 and 302 points respectively.

Also on the list are Aime Munguia of Mexico, who is placed fourth, and England’s Kell Brook is fifth while Julian Williams of the US is 6th.

The other boxers in the top 16 are Brian Carlos Castano (Argentina), Michel Soro (France), Austin Trout (US), Carlos Adames (US), Liam Smith (England), Patrick Teixeira (Brazil), Tony Harrison, Sadam Ali (US) and Magomed Kurbanov (Russia).