Kyakonye vows to bounce back after first career loss in WBC title bout
Kyakonye, who in May this year defended his World Boxing Federation (WBF) heavyweight world title, started this clash on a high, knocking down the Cuban twice in the first round to send his home crowd into a frenzy.
Ring Tiger Willy Kyakonye (second left) faces off with Cuba's Angelo Morejon (right) after their official weigh-in, alongside Uganda-born Germany-based coach Latif Walugembe, alias Coach Walu (left). Courtesy photo
After his failed attempt to clinch the World Boxing Council (WBC) silver bridgerweight title, Uganda's heavyweight boxer Willy 'The Ring Tiger' Kyakonye has vowed to bounce back much stronger.
Kyakonye revealed this after suffering a third-round knockout by Cuba's Angelo "El Terrible" Morejon amidst a fully filled Royal Theatre Carre Arena in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
It was Kyakonye's first loss in the paid ranks, with the result ending his 14 consecutive unbeaten ring record with 13 knockouts on the trot.
Kyakonye, who in May this year defended his World Boxing Federation (WBF) heavyweight world title, started this clash on a high, knocking down the Cuban twice in the first round to send his home crowd into a frenzy.
But Morejon got back on his feet in the second round, containing Kyakonye with his sharp jab before bombarding the former national boxing team, the Bombers' pugilist, with relentless left and right uppercuts that knocked him off balance.
At the start of the third round, the Ring Tiger and El Terrible exchanged a barrage of blows before Kyakonye got a cut on his left eye.
Bout referee Joel Campuzano Jr of the USA signalled for a medical checkup as Kyakonye's corner, which had Netherlands coach Vincent Stikkorlorum and a Ugandan duo of Latif Walugembe (Coach Walu) and Nasser Lule who travelled from Germany and the UK respectively, looked on.
But upon resumption, El Terrible got the first blood over Kyakonye, who eventually couldn't go further in what would have been a 12-round thriller.
"I know this isn't the result I wanted, but champions are defined not by their wins, but by how they can fall and come back to their feet," Kyakonye told Vision Sport.
"I wanted this title more than anything else, but God had other plans for me. My pledge to Ugandans is that this is not my last. I promise to bounce back to reclaim what belongs to me," he added.
Kyakonye's loss now puts on hold his dream to join Uganda's elite punchers who have clinched major world titles under the four-belt era, like Ayub 'The Gentleman' Kalule, John 'The Beast' Mugabi, Cornelius Boza Edwards, Kasim 'The Dream' Ouma, Jackson 'Action' Asiku and recently Sulaiman 'The Ruler' Segawa.