Batte punches his way to quarters, Nakalema eyes historic Commonwealth medal
Nakalema, a 2022 Africa Olympic boxing qualifiers bronze medallist and 2025 Zone 3 Africa Boxing Championship gold medallist, believes she has enough fuel in her tank to eliminate the Australian.
Bombers Nuhu 'Muzaata Batteso' Batte (left) landing a body punch to India's Aditya Pratap Yadav on Sunday night at the ongoing Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. (Courtesy photo / DSTV)
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Commonwealth Games
N. Batte (UGA) bt Y. Pratap (IND) 3-2
Tuesday
E. Nakalema (UGA) v E. Bryson (AUS)
Uganda’s women’s boxing team captain, welterweight Emily Nakalema, has vowed to become the nation’s first boxer to punch her way into the medal bracket at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
The Katwe Boxing Club pugilist faces Australia’s Eve Bryson in the women’s welterweight quarterfinals on Tuesday, July 28, at the Scottish Event Campus, with a place on the podium at stake.
Victory over Bryson would guarantee Nakalema at least a bronze medal, as losing semi-finalists in boxing are both awarded bronze medals.
“My target is to return home with a medal. I have always dreamt of competing on such a big stage, and now that opportunity has finally come,” Nakalema told Vision Sport.
Nationa Women Boxing Team, She Bombers captain Emily Nakalema vows to punch her way to the medal bracket against Australia's Eve Bryson this Tuesday. (Photo by Fred Kisekka)
“I have prepared well, and I believe I have what it takes to eliminate the Australian and make Ugandans proud.”
Batte storms to quarters
The COBAP Boxing Club pugilist overcame a fiercely resilient Pratap with a 3-2 split decision victory to book himself a berth in the quarterfinals.
Judges scored the contest 29-28, 29-28 and 29-27 in Batte’s favour, while the remaining two judges awarded it 29-28 to Pratap.
It was Batte’s second victory of the Games, having earlier defeated Nigeria’s Abdulwahab Abdulramon by unanimous decision in the opening round.
His latest triumph keeps Uganda firmly in contention for boxing medals in Glasgow.
Uganda’s medal hunt continues
Batte’s victory means Uganda still has four boxers in the race for Commonwealth medals.
Besides Batte and Nakalema, flyweight Angel Katushabe and heavyweight Abdul Aziz Hard, popularly known as Azizi Ringo, are also through and will continue their campaigns on Wednesday.
Light heavyweight Alfred ‘Gorilla’ Ojok was also in action on Monday night against England’s Dimeji Shittu in the round of 16, as Uganda looked to strengthen its bid for another successful Commonwealth Games boxing campaign.