After acquiring their legal status and acquiring a modern boxing ring, the local boxing association has confirmed that this year’s national boxing championships is due November.

The development was confirmed by the association’s president, Vicky Kalisa, on Friday.

Kalisa says that the failure to make boxing’s presence felt in the country was largely due to lack of a suitable boxing ring, and the fact that the boxing federation was yet to be certified by Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), hence not recognized by the Ministry for Sports and Culture.

"We now have a legal status, which means we're recognized by the Sports Ministry. The next step is to organize several competitions and spread the sport outside Kigali."

He added: "We have purchased a state-of-the-art boxing ring China. It will be here (in Rwanda) in a month’s time. We hope that it will also only enable us to host regional competitions.”

By press time Friday, the start date and duration of the championship was not yet to be determined.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com