Saturday, October 15th, MTN Arena, Lugogo

Y.Babu vs H.Muhumuza

D.Ssemujju vs H.Mugarura.

From surviving bullets to being detained in Kitalya maximum prison and to falling out with Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF).

This sums up heavyweight Yusuf Babu’s troubled life in the last three years that eventually shattered his Tokyo Olympic dream.

The 25-year-old’s last boxing fight was in 2019 at the finals of the National Boxing Open Championship where he defeated experienced Emma Kyambadde to clinch gold.

His return to the ring on Saturday makes him join notable world champions such as Mohammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Bernard Hopkins, and Tyson Fury whose boxing careers at one moment looked doomed only to bounce back bigger and better.

Babu alias ‘The Ring Tiger’, a former national boxing team (The Bombers) captain will make his professional debut against veteran Hudson Muhumuza.

The two will tussle it out at MTN Arena, Lugogo in a six-round heavyweight contest staged by 12 sports round boxing promotions.

And Babu, whose last four months have seen him in intense training at Big Zone bar gym in Nansana, vows to retire Muhumuza.

“I feel a better person now. I have gone through a lot but since all my troubles are now settled, expect to see me return with a bang,” Babu told Vision Sports.

“Seriously I have missed the ring and I can’t wait to show my hunger on Muhumuza. I have returned to conquer and to start a new dawn in my boxing career.”

Lawrence Kalyango, Babu’s boyhood coach both at COBAP Boxing Club and at The bombers similarly does not doubt him.

“We all know what Babu is capable of. I’m convinced he is going to outclass Muhumuza. He has trained well, trimming from 100 kgs to 92. With his speed Muhumuza will face it tougher”.

The troubles

On July 20, 2020, Babu was shot thrice in the legs by security operatives from the Internal Security Organization (ISO) near his home in Nansana.

It is alleged he was in possession of a phone that was used in one of the city robberies and was being tracked by ISO.

He was later detained at Kitalya prison, interrogated, and kept for over three months until found not guilty. He was released in April of the same year.

In September 2020, Babu returned to boxing vying to try his luck at the Paris-France World Olympic Boxing qualifiers to book his berth in Japan.

But his earlier fallout with UBF made this impossible. That is how his Olympic dream came to an end before his announcement to go Pro earlier this year