Uganda boxing legend and former world champion, Ayub Kalule has advised the current crop of boxers to sacrifice all they have if they are to punch their weights to greatness and win prestigious titles.

Kalule 69, revealed this during his memorial Ayub Kalule Boxing Championship that had Ugandan boxers dominate their counterparts from Kenya and Tanzania.

“In boxing, self-sacrifice is paramount, that is if you are to make it to the top. This is what made me stand tall among the many talented boxers the country had produced," noted Kalule.

“I managed to win world titles and medals because I sacrificed myself. Sacrifice involves doing away with alcohol, drugs, women, and hard work not forgetting discipline. It is what you must do.”

Kalule is arguably Uganda’s best boxer of all time.

The soft-spoken boxer is one of the cream de la cream boxers that dominated both the welterweight, light middle, and middleweight divisions in the paid ranks between the 70s and 80s.

He is the first African to win a gold medal at the world boxing championship a fate he reckoned during the 1974 inaugural championship in Havana, Cuba.

Born in the Kibibi-Butambala district and raised in Najjanankumbi in Makindye, Kampala, Kalule went on to win the WBA Super Welterweight world title defeating the then-untouchable Japanese Masashi Kudo on home soil in 1979.

He won a whooping 46 professional fights out of the 50 he has on his name.

But the standout of his 50 career boxing fights came in 1981 against America’s renowned Sugar Ray Leonard who knocked out Kalule in the 9th of their 15-round thriller.

Ugandans Dominate.

Back at his inaugural Ayub Kalule boxing championships, Lightweight Latibu ‘Dancing Master’ Muwonge outclassed Kenya’s Ibrahim Odhiambo with a unanimous points decision victory.

After his victory, Muwonge noted;

“I’m pleased to be back to my best. This fight was like a build-up for my upcoming mega-fights. The Kenyan was a bit more experienced than I am, but I thank God for the victory.”

Welterweight Henry Kasujja ‘Stopper’ knocked out Tanzania’s Cosmas Cheka in the first round.

Uganda’s Farahat Manilola knocked out Tanzania’s Muhamed Kashinde in the third round as cruiserweight Saul Male ‘Mr Bad Intention’ unanimously defeated Tanzania’s Saidi Mbelwa same as lightweight Joshua Nyanzi did to another Tanzanian in Adam Agage.

Then came an epic thriller that witnessed Swalik ‘Tyson’ Kisitu who beat rival Paul Kayemba Kasumaali with a unanimous point victory.