Boxing: 18 Congolese in the finals of the Kinshasa African Championship, a record of 38 federations

The first day of the finals of the 22nd Elite African Boxing Championship opens on Friday, October 30, 2026, at the twin gymnasium of the Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa, with 18 Congolese boxers qualified for a title fight, according to Radio Okapi and Actualite.cd. The competition, which began on October 19, concludes on November 1, 2026.

A Congolese armada at home

Radio Okapi named fourteen of these finalists: among the men, Peter Pita Kabedji, Latour Bofenda, Gloire Kolongo, David Tshiama, William Mbangu, Joseph Disashi, Dovidro Ilunga, and Beni Njibu; among the women, Modestine Munga Zalia, Monique Bampala, Jorbelle Malewu, Deborah Boisambu, Ruth Yanfu, and Sarah Enduwa. Four other Congolese athletes were added, having qualified directly in their categories due to an insufficient number of entrants. Modestine Munga Zalia, a silver medalist in the previous edition, is aiming for gold this time, the radio reports.

Out of the sixteen fights in the first session of the finals, twelve feature a Congolese pugilist, specifies Actualite.cd.

"A championship that breaks all records"

Thirty-eight national federations have confirmed their registration, representing more than 400 male and female athletes according to the Congolese Press Agency. "We have registered 38 federations. This is a record," declared Basile Kalong, a member of the International Boxing Association (IBA) staff, as quoted by Actualite.cd, which notes that the previous record dated back to 2024 with 25 countries. This is also the first time that the Elite African Championship has taken place under the direct aegis of the IBA.

General Ferdinand Ilunga, head of the Congolese Boxing Federation, had set the goal before the kickoff: "We are aiming for an even more generous harvest of medals" in order to "raise the DRC to the highest step of the continental podium," according to the ACP. In 2024, also in Kinshasa, the DR Congo finished second behind Morocco with 21 medals, including 9 gold, 5 silver, and 7 bronze, with 25 athletes entered.

Kinshasa, a stronghold of the African ring

Two consecutive editions organized in the same city, a level of participation never before reached, a Martyrs Stadium gymnasium transformed into the center of gravity for continental boxing: the Congolese capital is consolidating a reputation that the city has held since the Muhammad Ali-George Foreman fight in 1974. The prize money for medalists was also expected to be increased, Ferdinand Ilunga had indicated.

The remainder of the finals will be contested until November 1, 2026. The final medal standings are not yet known.