Boxing- Africa Games

Friday, March 15.

S.Ndagire (UGA) v J. Ojo (NIG)

O. Kibira (UGA) v B. Nze (GQ)

K. Murungi (UGA) v T. Williams (LIB)

The national boxing team has secured two quarter-finalists at the ongoing 13th edition of the Africa Games in Ghana.

This follows boxing draws for the games that were held at a 3,000-seater Bukom Arena on Wednesday, March 13

The draws sent Lightweight Erina Namutebi and Minimumweight Innocent Tumusiime directly to the quarterfinals minus throwing a punch.

Namutebi, a silver medallist at the 2023 Yaounde Africa Boxing Championship in Cameroon kick starts her medal quest against Nigeria’s tough Cynthia Ogunsemilore as debutant Tumusiime takes on Lesotho’s Kolobe Retselisitsoe.

Speaking of the draws, Namutebi, a Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) soldier told Vision Sports that, “I’m grateful the draws have thrown me to the quarterfinal. It is a plus to me because I came here for a medal. I will reserve my energy for this do-or-die fight.”

In Ogunsemilore, Namutebi faces a tricky opponent and will need to pull up a fight for life.  

The Bariga-Lagos state-born Nigerian is a 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, a qualified boxer at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games on top of holding a 7-0-0 ring record in the professional ranks.

But Namutebi is unfazed by all her opponent’s achievements.

“I’m not bothered by what my opponent has achieved in the ring. To me it is history. Every fight has its own tactics and way of handling it. The ring will decide for us” Namutebi noted.

Uganda fielded seven boxers both men and women.

The 2023 Africa games in Ghana will see a total of 210 boxers with 64 of them being female competing for medals from 32 countries.

Kibira, Ndagire and Murungi in action

The draws will see a journalist-turned-boxer, featherweight Sharua Ndagire, the first Ugandan to enter the ring on  March 15 in the round of 16.

The Lukanga Boxing Club pugilist from Kyengera battles another Nigeria in Joy Ojo, a quarterfinalist at the Africa Olympic boxing qualifiers in Dakar.

In the mid-day session, 2022 Africa boxing championship welterweight bronze medallist, Owen Kibira will grace the ring up against Equatorial Guinea’s Billigraham Nze on the same (round 16).

Kibira, whose local weight rival Ukasha Matovu will be back home watching, is confident of punching his weight to the next round.

“I came here for a medal I can guarantee my fans back home that a win is in my sight, Insha Allah”

Featherweight Kassim Murungi who tussles Liberia’s Timothy Williams will complete Uganda’s boxing trio in the ring today.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the draw will also see Captain light middleweight Muzamir Ssemuddu taking on Togo’s Hassan Akoussan in the round of 16 as light welterweight Innocent Amoko battles Seychelles Jovani Bouzin in the same round and on the same day.