Middleweight professional boxer John Sserunjogi was a fired-up figure as he received his December Fortebet Real Stars Award at the Lazio Restaurant in Kololo on Tuesday.

Sserunjogi was one of four sportsmen alongside Maroons FC’s Abraham Tusubira, Cricketer Rita Musamali, and Kampani Eagles’ rugby player-hooker Jude Jjuuko who were recognized for their outstanding display from their disciplines in December.

On December 18, Sserunjogi knocked out Guinea’s Ibo Maier in the West African Country to become the first Ugandan professional boxer to win the WBA Africa away from home in the last ten years.

The feat had him firing warning shots to all his potential opponents that had longed to fight him; to now find him at the continental level.

“This was like the start of my professional boxing career. I have fought before but this elevated me among the big men and I can now only tell those that were longing to fight me to find me where I am because I cannot now move from the ‘ocean’ to the lake’’ Sserunjogi said.

“I’m now in salty waters while my local opponents are still in muddy ponds, so they will find me in part two,”

“We are now trying to find sponsors so that we can be able to defend this title so that it remains in Uganda,” Sserunjogi, whose records stand at 14-2-0, said.

He edged Isaac Masembe and Power Jjunju to the award.

Victoria Pearls all-rounder Rita Musamali emerged as the best cricketer in the month having helped Uganda qualify to their second global T20 World Cup qualifier after beating Tanzania by 10 runs.

Throughout the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifier, Musamali collected 107 runs from 130 balls for Uganda and put up a spirited bowling performance of six wickets, conceding 66 runs from 101 balls standing 7th on the chart.

“The performance we displayed in Entebbe helped us qualify for the globals and now as a team, we want to continue working hard and qualify for the World Cup; it was teamwork that saw us through,” Musamali said.

“I’m so happy to have won this award for the first time and I’m ready to work even harder to win more of such this year. She beat Henry Ssenyondo and Consy Aweko to the gong.

For Kampani Eagles’ Jjuuko the award is an inspiration not only to himself but to his teammates.

“This award means so much to me because it is my first Real Stars award. But it goes down to the team efforts including from my teammates, the fans, friends, and family. Their input coupled with teamwork has enabled me to win this award,” Jjuuko stated.

“I didn’t expect this but this shows that the world out there is watching and it greatly inspires me to work even more to produce much better quality rugby,” Jjuuko who has been in the sport for over ten years said.

The forward guided his newly league-promoted club Kampani Eagles to their first Rugby Uganda Cup quarterfinal. Jjuuko played all three games in December winning three and losing one. The Kitante based topped group B with 15 points leaving Pirates to settle for the second with 14 points.

Maroons FC’s Tusubira took the football award beating KCCA’s Shaban Mohamed and SC Villa’s Ivan Bogere. Maroons won three games and drew two in the month, from which Tusubira had five assists and two goals.

Fortebet’s Resty Mbatidde and Jude Color Solutions' John Zzimbe reiterated their commitment to supporting the awards in the new year.