Kenya’s Philip Waruinge, Olympic Medalist and World Title Challenger, Dies at 77
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Lanet, Nakuru, Kenya (October 22, 2022)– Philip Waruinge, also known as Philip Waruinge Nakayama, who competed in the 1964, 1968, and 1972 Olympics, and challenged twice for the vacant World Boxing Council Super Bantamweight title, has died in Lanet, Nakuru, Kenya, after a short illness, at age 77. The passing was announced by the Boxing Federation of Kenya (BKF). Boxing Federation of Kenya Vice-President Isaac Mbote stated “Warunge was a legend. He was one of the finest boxers Kenya ever produced.”
Born in Murang’a, Kenya, Waruinge moved to Nakaru, where he was a soccer player at St. Theresa Secondary School before he joined the Nakaru Boxing Club in 1960, Waruinge competed as a featherweight as an amateur, winning a Bronze medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, and a Silver medal at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Waruinge won the Val Barker Trophy as the outstanding boxer at the 1968 Olympic Games. Waruinge was the first African boxer to win three gold medals consecutively at the Pan-African Championships in 1964, 1966 and 1968, and also won two gold medals in the 1966 and 1970 Commonwealth Games.
Turning pro as a super bantamweight, Waruinge moved to Japan and competed professionally from 1973 and 1978, earning the nickname “Nakayama”. Waruinge won 24, lost 10 and drew one bout in 25 pro bouts. A seven bout win streak put Waruinge into a vacant WBC World Super Bantamweight title bout with Rigoberto Riasco, who stopped him in Panama City after four rounds. Waruinge, the Japanese Boxing Federation Super Bantamweight champion, won another two bouts, and then challenged WBC Bantamweight champion, Carlos Zarate, in the lower weight class, but was knocked out in the fourth round by Zarate in Culiacan, Mexico, in November 1976. A 10 round decision loss to Kosei Kawaguchi in Kokugican, Japan, by scores of 47-46, 47-46, and 47-46, in February 1978, sent Waruinge into retirement.
After retirement, Philip worked as a successful businessman in Japan, but was deported in 2007 back to Kenya for failing to renew his visa, leaving his wealth behind. He finished his life in squalor as a poultry farmer in his native Kenya, leaving behind a wife and four children.
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