Bodaboda Operator at Night and Martial Arts Contestant by Daytime

A young man at Githurai 44 is bodaboda rider and martial arts fighter at the same time, balancing training and livelihood.

Joshua Njagi, 27 spares just little time to rest as he pursues his passion while eking a living from bodaboda business.

He was the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) bantamweight category 2019 after he beat Josiah Lumunya, a Ugandan police officer.

The fight, first of a kind in East Africa was organised by Top Dog Championship, a MMA promotions Company. Majority of fighters were soldiers and police officers. It composed of karate, taekwondo, judo, boxing, kick-boxing and jujitsu.

Njagi starts his day in the afternoon, in gym at Zimmerman or Parklands. He exercises until 10pm then heads home, sleeps briefly before embarking on bodaboda work.

Njagi going about bodaboda work.

“It is an arduous life because I have to keep exercising and working at the same time. I have bills to pay, pay for gym and keep my dream alive” He says.

His love for martial arts started in early years. He used to protect his cousin from bullies.

“I realised I was a good fighter and I perfect it as I proceeded to secondary school. One time I fought a group of boys who assaulted my cousin” he says.

He has won several bouts, beating several combatants from Kenya’s major towns organised by African Dream Taekwondo.

Him being declared a winner in a fight.

His luck struck when he joined Top Dog Fighting Champions and was bequeathed training kit by the company’s CEO Grey Boisvert.

Now focused on continental MMA bout, he is optimistic of maintaining the upward trajectory even in the midst of challenges in sports realms in Kenya.