Boxer Juma Miiro who won bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games was on Saturday eliminated in the national team trials at Lugogo by Edrine Ojambo on a 4-1 split decision.

Miiro who features for KCCA Boxing Club competed in the bantamweight for the first time says he won’t be put down by the loss.

“I just have to keep working hard so that I return to the top again. Fighting in the bantamweight for the first time clearly gave me a lot of challenges but believe I will improve,” noted Miiro.

Ojambo who is also a carpenter was able to keep Miiro at his preferred range by moving quickly on his back foot and flicking out a jab whenever Miiro tried to creep forward.

The Nakawa Boxing Club pugilist believes the victory is a big step in his career.

“This is a big statement and it clearly shows that I have made some improvement in my career. But this victory doesn’t mean that I have reached my goal since I still have to double my efforts both in this competition and others to come. I will remain focused to see how I handle other boxers in the competition,” Ojambo said.

Coming into the national team trials, Miiro, had hopes of reviving his career having lost to Moses Kabuuka in the quarterfinals of the 2019 national team trials ahead of the 2020 Africa Olympic boxing qualifiers held in Dakar, Senegal.

It remains to be seen if Miiro, a brother to Fazil Juma who won a bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, will bounce back.

In other fights, Hussein Mulo of Namungoona Boxing Club and Wasswa Ssali of Lukanga Boxing Club defeated Juma Said of Mutajjazi and Hassan Byansi of Luwero Boxing Club by knockout respectively.

Emma Muwaanguzi of COBAP Boxing Club defeated John Bolton by unanimous decision (5-0).

The four boxers that will reach the semi-finals from each category will still undergo trials to select the national team that will represent Uganda at next year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.