UBF waives fees for professional boxing promoters to revitalise the sport

For the next 365 days, Ugandan professional boxing promoters will not be required to pay incentives such as boxing ring hire, sanction fees, and licensing charges.

The Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) has introduced this measure in a bid to promote and revitalise professional boxing in the country.

The development follows a stakeholders' meeting between the UBF executive and its Professional Boxing Licensing Committee with promoters, matchmakers, and managers to discuss compliance with the 2023 National Sports Act, Cap 151.

The meeting, held at Ibamba Restaurant in Kampala, was attended by several key figures including UBF president Moses Muhangi and members of his executive committee, as well as Moureen Mulangira, the chairperson of the UBF Professional Boxing Licensing Committee.

During the meeting, eight boxing promotion companies including Babu Boxing Promotions, Zebra Mando Promotions, Nara Promotions, Brawn Promotions, and Big Bang, along with 15 promoters and three matchmakers, were issued operational licenses by the federation.

"Our number one target is to make Ugandan professional boxing more vibrant than ever before. With this in mind, UBF has decided to waive event sanction fees, boxers' licensing fees, and also provide promoters with a free boxing ring during events," Muhangi said.

Muhangi's remarks were supported by Mulangira, who also serves as General Secretary of the African Boxing Union (ABU) and a committee member of the World Boxing Council (WBC) responsible for boxers' rankings in Africa.

"My advice to promoters, matchmakers, and managers is to upgrade their skills by undertaking WBC and ABU training courses so they can adapt to the new technical aspects of the sport. I also urge our Sports Minister, Peter Ogwang, to resolve this boxing dispute immediately for the good of our sport," Mulangira said.

The meeting, which was open to all boxing stakeholders in the country, was boycotted by members of the rival Uganda Professional Boxing Committee (UPBC).

Since President Museveni signed the 2023 National Sports Act into law in 2024, the rift between UBF and UPBC has worsened, with the latter accusing the federation of infringing on their mandate to run professional boxing in the country.