As an amateur boxer, Stephen Okumu’s greatest moment came when he was chosen to represent Kenya as a light-middleweight at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. There, he was defeated in his first bout against Great Britain’s Rod Douglas and eliminated from the tournament. Okumu did not turn professional afterwards, but instead took up the administration of the sport, as well as international refereeing. It was in the latter role that he received the most acclaim and, between October 2004 and his sudden death 15 years later, he oversaw 73 professional bouts. By career, he was a sergeant with the Kenya Police.