Sparks Boxing Club stun Lukanga to claim 2026 National Novice Youth title
The Kitintale-based club, which entered a thin squad of only ten boxers, emerged as the surprise package when the tournament climaxed at TLC Arena in Kamwokya, Kampala.
PHOTO: Fred Kisekka
Sparks Boxing Club defied all the odds to clinch the 2026 National Novice Youth title from the grasp of perennial giants Lukanga Boxing Club at the just-concluded National Novice Championship.
The Kitintale-based club, which entered a thin squad of only ten boxers, emerged as the surprise package when the tournament climaxed at TLC Arena in Kamwokya, Kampala.
Nicknamed The Sparks Bombers, the club, coached by a young tactician Skills Herbert Kalungi, swept the Youth title, lost the Juniors title by a whisker, only a point behind Lukanga BC, before eventually finishing second overall with seven gold medals.
Their charge was orchestrated by pinweight Brian Yiga, light bantamweight Quwell Kazibwe, featherweight Roland Mutungi, bantamweight Malik Kimbowa, featherweight Aziz Ramanthan, captain light welterweight Patrick Mukisa and welterweight Allan Mutyaba.
Sparks BC’s main surge was in the junior category, where they topped the table on 30 points, followed by Lukanga BC on 22, with Zebra BC finishing third on 12.
They narrowly missed out on the Junior title, finishing just one point behind Lukanga, who eventually took the crown on 30 points before finishing third in the elite category behind Lukanga on 41 points and army side UPDF on 30.
Overall, Sparks were runners-up with 54 points, only battered by Lukanga BC’s 93.
But the fact they entered only ten boxers against Lukanga BC’s 80 proves how impressive the 2016 national cadets champions have been throughout this campaign.
UPDF finished third overall on 33 points, followed by Zebra BC and Kulambira-based Brawn BC in fourth and fifth on 29 and 22 points respectively.
For Kalungi, the championship was proof that quality can outweigh quantity.
“We are more than grateful for our team’s overall performance, on top of winning the Youth title. Fielding a thin squad and getting such returns clearly shows that we came with quality, not quantity,” Kalungi told Vision Sports.
“Our next target is to groom this crop and help them develop from the novices to the national intermediates, national open and the UBF Boxing Champions League before they turn professional,” he added.
The championship final was graced by artist Navio and Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) president Moses Muhangi, who commended the 56 clubs that showcased in it.