First African boxer to win gold at the world championship
EIGHT-year-old Ayub Kalule was fascinated by a newspaper article about boxer Muhammad Ali’s victory in a fierce fight with Henry Cooper. The year was 1963.
By VICKY WANDAWA
EIGHT-year-old Ayub Kalule was fascinated by a newspaper article about boxer Muhammad Ali’s victory in a fierce fight with Henry Cooper. The year was 1963.
“At 12, I left Kasenge village where I grew up and moved to Kampala, to Police Children School in Nsambya.â€
“Nearby was a Police training school with quality facilities for numerous sport activities, including boxing. The school also had expert British trainers, hence we always excelled in competitions,†he says.
He took advantage of the facilities.
Kalule’s first fight was at the age of 12, in which he was the spider weight champion. This win, strengthened his determination to pursue a career in boxing. Four years later, he joined the Kampala City Bombers, leading him to national boxing.
In 1972, fighting in light-welterweight category, Kalule became the under-19 Africa championship. The following year, he participated in the All-Africa games in Lagos, where he got bronze.
Two years later, he represented Uganda at the Commonwealth games in New Zealand and won the first world amateur boxing championship.
His most memorable fight was the same year, at the world amateur boxing championship in Cuba, where he beat Puerto Rican Amador Rosario.
In 1976, he moved to Denmark as a professional boxer, under Morgas Parley Promotions, where he was based for the rest of his career. He knocked out numerous boxing champions like Jimmy Prince of the UK, Canadian Wayne Caplette and Lindell Holmes, among others.
Throughout his career, he was known for his ambidexterity, which he often used to confuse his opponents with either hand.
Kalule’s career came to an end on February 5, 1986, when he lost the European Middleweight Title to Herol Graham.
He returned home and is currently involved in encouraging upcoming boxers to excel in the sport.
EIGHT-year-old Ayub Kalule was fascinated by a newspaper article about boxer Muhammad Ali’s victory in a fierce fight with Henry Cooper. The year was 1963.
“At 12, I left Kasenge village where I grew up and moved to Kampala, to Police Children School in Nsambya.â€
“Nearby was a Police training school with quality facilities for numerous sport activities, including boxing. The school also had expert British trainers, hence we always excelled in competitions,†he says.
He took advantage of the facilities.
Kalule’s first fight was at the age of 12, in which he was the spider weight champion. This win, strengthened his determination to pursue a career in boxing. Four years later, he joined the Kampala City Bombers, leading him to national boxing.
In 1972, fighting in light-welterweight category, Kalule became the under-19 Africa championship. The following year, he participated in the All-Africa games in Lagos, where he got bronze.
Two years later, he represented Uganda at the Commonwealth games in New Zealand and won the first world amateur boxing championship.
His most memorable fight was the same year, at the world amateur boxing championship in Cuba, where he beat Puerto Rican Amador Rosario.
In 1976, he moved to Denmark as a professional boxer, under Morgas Parley Promotions, where he was based for the rest of his career. He knocked out numerous boxing champions like Jimmy Prince of the UK, Canadian Wayne Caplette and Lindell Holmes, among others.
Throughout his career, he was known for his ambidexterity, which he often used to confuse his opponents with either hand.
Kalule’s career came to an end on February 5, 1986, when he lost the European Middleweight Title to Herol Graham.
He returned home and is currently involved in encouraging upcoming boxers to excel in the sport.