Boxer Ouma is world champ
UGANDAN professional boxer Kassim Ouma on Saturday night punched his way to a world title with a unanimous points win over Verno Phillips.
By James Bakama
UGANDAN professional boxer Kassim Ouma on Saturday night punched his way to a world title with a unanimous points win over Verno Phillips.
Ouma captured the International Boxing Federation light middleweight crown from the American at Caesars Palace, Nevada, with 114-113,114-113, 117-110.
He now has 20 wins (13 by knock-out), one draw and a loss.
It was the former National Resistance Army (NRA) Kadogo’s second win over Phillips in three years.
He won the 2001 fight also by points.
He becomes the fourth Ugandan to win a world title after Ayub Kalule, Boza Edwards and John “The Beast†Mugabi, who reigned in the seventies and eighties.
The Florida-based Ouma, who joined the paid ranks in 1997, has now set his sights on the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association crowns held by USA’s Winky Wright.
Victory at that stage will make Ouma the first Ugandan undisputed world champion.
Ouma was so confident of a win that he promised to knock out Phillips. But he found a tough opponent in the early rounds. Phillips, however, later wilted to give Ouma a clear win.
Ouma was initially scheduled to take on Phillips in June, but he was forced to pull out shortly before the fight after sustaining a chest injury in training.
Phillips went on to make an easy meal of a late Mexican replacement, Carlos Borjoquez, to take the IBF champion. A Ugandan last won a world title in 1989 when John Mugabi knocked out Frenchman Rene Jacquot in Cergy-Pontoise, France.
Full story in the sports section
UGANDAN professional boxer Kassim Ouma on Saturday night punched his way to a world title with a unanimous points win over Verno Phillips.
Ouma captured the International Boxing Federation light middleweight crown from the American at Caesars Palace, Nevada, with 114-113,114-113, 117-110.
He now has 20 wins (13 by knock-out), one draw and a loss.
It was the former National Resistance Army (NRA) Kadogo’s second win over Phillips in three years.
He won the 2001 fight also by points.
He becomes the fourth Ugandan to win a world title after Ayub Kalule, Boza Edwards and John “The Beast†Mugabi, who reigned in the seventies and eighties.
The Florida-based Ouma, who joined the paid ranks in 1997, has now set his sights on the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association crowns held by USA’s Winky Wright.
Victory at that stage will make Ouma the first Ugandan undisputed world champion.
Ouma was so confident of a win that he promised to knock out Phillips. But he found a tough opponent in the early rounds. Phillips, however, later wilted to give Ouma a clear win.
Ouma was initially scheduled to take on Phillips in June, but he was forced to pull out shortly before the fight after sustaining a chest injury in training.
Phillips went on to make an easy meal of a late Mexican replacement, Carlos Borjoquez, to take the IBF champion. A Ugandan last won a world title in 1989 when John Mugabi knocked out Frenchman Rene Jacquot in Cergy-Pontoise, France.
Full story in the sports section