Ouma fails to match Ayub Kalule’s reign
Jul 15, 2005
KASSIM Ouma is the third Ugandan professional boxer to fall short of Ayub Kalule’s mark of four title defences as a world champion.<br>Ouma, who lost to Russian Roman Karzamin (left) on Thursday night, had only one successful defence in a ten-month reign as IBF junior middleweight king.
By James Bakama
KASSIM Ouma is the third Ugandan professional boxer to fall short of Ayub Kalule’s mark of four title defences as a world champion.
Ouma, who lost to Russian Roman Karzamin (left) on Thursday night, had only one successful defence in a ten-month reign as IBF junior middleweight king.
In October 1979, in the Japanese city of Akita, Ayub Kalule became the first Ugandan to win a world title when he beat homeboy Masashi Kudo on points after 15 rounds.
Kalule thereafter defended his WBA light middleweight title against Steve Gregory, Emiliano Villa, Marijan Benes and Bushy Bester before his fateful fight with fast rising superstar Sugar Ray Leonard.
The June 1981 fight in Houston, Texas saw Kalule stopped in nine rounds.
In March 1982, super featherweight Boza (previously Bbosa) Edwards beat Mexican Rafael “Bazooka†Limon in California to become the second Ugandan to win a title.
But Boza, like Ouma, could only defend the WBC title once. He stopped Bobby Chacon in the 14th round before being defeated by Rolando Navarrete.
Next came the hard-hitting John “The Beast†Mugabi, whose sobriquet was born out of the 26 opponents he had mauled within the distance.
Mugabi’s record prompted then undisputed middleweight champion Marvin Hagler to put his three belts on the line for a fight with the Ugandan.
Hagler walked out of the battle, later rated as the best fight in 1986, supreme after knocking out Mugabi in the 12th round at Caesers Palace.
Mugabi’s moment came three years later in the light middleweight when he stopped Frenchman Rene Jacquot before controversially losing the WBC title to Terry Norris.
KASSIM Ouma is the third Ugandan professional boxer to fall short of Ayub Kalule’s mark of four title defences as a world champion.
Ouma, who lost to Russian Roman Karzamin (left) on Thursday night, had only one successful defence in a ten-month reign as IBF junior middleweight king.
In October 1979, in the Japanese city of Akita, Ayub Kalule became the first Ugandan to win a world title when he beat homeboy Masashi Kudo on points after 15 rounds.
Kalule thereafter defended his WBA light middleweight title against Steve Gregory, Emiliano Villa, Marijan Benes and Bushy Bester before his fateful fight with fast rising superstar Sugar Ray Leonard.
The June 1981 fight in Houston, Texas saw Kalule stopped in nine rounds.
In March 1982, super featherweight Boza (previously Bbosa) Edwards beat Mexican Rafael “Bazooka†Limon in California to become the second Ugandan to win a title.
But Boza, like Ouma, could only defend the WBC title once. He stopped Bobby Chacon in the 14th round before being defeated by Rolando Navarrete.
Next came the hard-hitting John “The Beast†Mugabi, whose sobriquet was born out of the 26 opponents he had mauled within the distance.
Mugabi’s record prompted then undisputed middleweight champion Marvin Hagler to put his three belts on the line for a fight with the Ugandan.
Hagler walked out of the battle, later rated as the best fight in 1986, supreme after knocking out Mugabi in the 12th round at Caesers Palace.
Mugabi’s moment came three years later in the light middleweight when he stopped Frenchman Rene Jacquot before controversially losing the WBC title to Terry Norris.