Bwogi vows comeback after WBC title setback
The Ugandan southpaw endured a brutal ninth-round knockout at the hands of Croatia’s Luka Plantic, ending his unbeaten professional streak.
Shadir Musa Bwogi. PHOTO: Fred Kisekka
WBC International Super Middleweight Title
L. Plantic (CRO) bt S. Bwogi (UGA).
Shadir Musa Bwogi’s dream of clinching the World Boxing Council (WBC) Super Middleweight title suffered a heavy blow, but it is far from over.
The Ugandan southpaw endured a brutal ninth-round knockout at the hands of Croatia’s Luka Plantic, ending his unbeaten professional streak.
The two fighters—Plantic in the red corner and Bwogi in the blue, clashed at the Olympic Park in Feti Borova, Tirana, Albania, in the early hours of Monday, November 24.
After a marathon of non-stop action, with both men searching for the decisive punch, Bwogi was caught by Plantic’s relentless combinations. He was floored twice in the seventh and eighth rounds but managed to beat the count each time.
Despite his resilience, Bwogi later revealed he had been battling an injury to his left arm for nearly half the fight. Plantic capitalized on the setback, finishing the contest in the ninth round to successfully defend his title for a record fifth time.
When the ring announcer declared Plantic the winner, a visibly disappointed yet composed Bwogi accepted defeat and promised to bounce back stronger.
“I had to endure almost the last five rounds fighting with one arm because my left arm was injured,” Bwogi told Vision Sport.
“Truth is, I wanted this title more than anything, but sometimes things don’t go your way. In boxing, champions are defined not by their victories, but by how they rise after a fall. Expect me to come back stronger than ever.”
Looking ahead
Despite the setback, Bwogi remains focused on his future. The 2024 Africa Boxing Union (ABU) Super Middleweight champion now sets his sights on the WBC Africa Super Middleweight title next year, before making another run at the WBC International belt.
A former national team captain, Bwogi represented Uganda at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, where he was eliminated in the round of 16. Since 2017, he has been regarded as the country’s most consistent boxer.
His professional record now stands at 10-1, with nine wins (five by knockout). The loss to Plantic marks his first defeat since turning professional in 2022.