The fight night has rebuilt hope for a sport that had long struggled for visibility.
According to founder Willy Wex, the journey started with a simple conversation.
“Every great movement begins with a conversation. For Nairobi Fight Night, that conversation happened in early 2024 when I met professional boxer Denzel Onyango at La Villa Fitness Gym,” Wex recalled.
As the two discussed the realities of boxing in Kenya, Wex began to appreciate the challenges facing professional fighters.
His research uncovered an alarming statistic: between 2022 and early 2024, Kenya had hosted only five major professional boxing events.
The consequence was clear.
Talented amateur boxers had little incentive to turn professional because opportunities to compete regularly, build records, or earn a living from the sport were scarce.
“Instead of seeing it as a problem, I saw an opportunity,” Wex said.
His solution was straightforward but ambitious: to create a professionally organized boxing event every month, giving fighters a reliable platform to compete while attracting fans and commercial partners back to the sport.
“Our goal was simple: to stage a professional boxing event every month. Consistency is what the sport needed, not just for the athletes, but also for fans, sponsors and everyone involved in the boxing ecosystem,” he explained.
The vision gathered momentum after sports enthusiast Ngarua Kamuya introduced Wex to Peng Chen, proprietor of The Alchemist.
Together, they established Monthly Fight Nights, held on the first Tuesday of every month.
However, the road to success was anything but smooth.
The inaugural event, initially scheduled for July 2024, had to be postponed following the nationwide Gen Z protests and the tragic events surrounding demonstrations at Parliament.
When the event was finally ready to take place a month later, another unexpected obstacle emerged.
“The boxing ring we had procured was too large to fit inside the venue,” Wex recalled.
With only hours left before the opening bell, cancellation appeared inevitable.
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Instead, the organizers improvised by laying the ring canvas directly on the floor and securing the ropes within the available space, turning what could have been a failed launch into an exhibition showcase.
“We had two choices: cancel the event or find a solution. We chose resilience. That night proved that determination matters more than perfection,” Wex said.
Two years later, Nairobi Fight Night has evolved from that improvised beginning into what many now consider Kenya’s premier recurring professional boxing platform.
“What started as an improvised event has grown into Kenya’s premier recurring professional boxing platform. Nairobi Fight Night exists to create opportunities, discover champions and help shape the future of professional boxing in Kenya and across Africa,” Wex averred.
Its impact is being felt inside the ropes.
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Professional boxer Joseph Onyango believes the monthly platform has become invaluable for fighters seeking recognition.
“Nairobi Fight Night helps us as boxers,” he said. “It is not easy to find a platform to showcase your skills. If you just stay home, nobody will notice you. But when you get a platform, at least you know you will be seen,” Onyango offered.
Fellow boxer Lennox Omukhwaya believes the initiative has reignited interest in the sport.
“This fight night has awakened the spirit of boxing in Kenya,” he said. “People were almost forgetting about professional boxing, but now it is back. It promotes us and puts us out there as boxers,” Omukhwaya said.
Omukhwaya added that Nairobi Fight Night is giving hope to talented youngsters who previously had no clear pathway into the professional ranks.
“There is a lot of talent sitting out in the ghetto and many other places, but this platform exposes us as boxers and has had a very great impact,” he said.
The platform has also earned praise from boxing administrators.
Kenya Professional Boxing Commission (KPBC) president Reuben Ndolo commended the organizers for investing in the future of the sport while urging promoters to continue prioritizing fighter welfare.
“It is encouraging to see young people investing their time and resources in growing boxing. This is their livelihood, and I pray they do not face the challenges we experienced in the past,” Ndolo said.
He also called for greater support for professional fighters, noting the sacrifices they make every time they step into the ring.
“I urge promoters to look after these young boxers. You can see how hard they work and how much they sweat inside the ring. Life is becoming more difficult, and they deserve better support,” he continued.
Nairobi Fight Night now enters its third year, and Wex hopes that its story serves as a reminder that meaningful change often begins with a single conversation and the courage to persevere through setbacks.
