Kick-boxer Ronald Mugula beats Nagy to world title

By Joseph Kizza

Ugandan kick-boxer Ronald Mugula is the new world intercontinental champion after he beat Hungarian fighter, Andras Nagy early Saturday morning at Kyadondo Rugby Club.

The much anticipated fight ended prematurely when hard-bodied Mugula ‘technically knocked out’ his Hungarian opponent in the second round.

"I would like to thank Nagy for accepting to come here because he knows my profile," Mugula said after being declared winner as fans stormed the ring to congratulate him.

His family - daughter and wife - also joined him inside the ring to share success that many Ugandan kick-boxing fans see as a significant breakthrough in a sport that is only picking up popularity in Uganda.

Excited local fans had developed a huge appetite for the two-man challenge.

Those who braved the late-night chill did not have to wait for the set five rounds of the battle to see their ‘saviour’ – Mugula – take out his rival as he had promised in the build up to the fight.

Prior to the fight, a confident Mugula had assured he would knock out the Hungarian in the second round, a word he faithfully kept until his ultimate victory at Kyadondo.

A fight that had been predicted to be a tough battle later surprised many when title holder Nagy looked the weaker of the two fighters the larger part of the first round.

The duo started off even, each sizing up his opponent with a kick or two here, a punch there. Punch-kick-retreat, punch-kick-retreat was the pattern for a start.

A surprisingly vulnerable Nagy had his moments to relish, though brief.

He brought down Mugula once with a hard kick, and that might have arguably been his major highlight of the night.

But when the Ugandan gained back his footing, he unleashed a ‘hammer’ – an overhead kick – onto his rival.

He managed to send Nagy crashing against the tough ropes, attacking him with spot-on punches in the face and in the side.

By the end of the three minutes, there was a general sense of conviction that the Ugandan had had his share of dominance in the first round.

'Technical knockout'

The second round saw Mugula coming back even stronger, and Nagy seemingly more unconfident.

And that sure was a shocker to many Ugandans who had seen the same man torment outspoken kick-boxer Moses Golola in a fight that had raised lots of dust over its results December last year.

In Round Two, the two men started off with each testing his knee power on his opponent. Mugula continued to look the harder fighter, sending a dangerous hit into the face of the Hungarian.

Nagy staggered around the ring, giving away his unsteady state just into the second minute of the round.

The effects of the face hit must have overwhelmed Mugula’s opponent when he finally called off futher fighting so he could have an injury on his face attended to.

Closer inspection revealed blood oozing out of the left side of his face.

His left eye had been hit, and the medic had it bandaged up, sending the local fans erupting into cheers. They had sensed it was almost a done deal here.

Fans were also treated with a little more drama than they had bargained for when Mugula started grooving to the blaring music in the background as his camp waited on the referee’s final call – whether to end the fight or have it go on.

Then, when Nagy declared he could not fight any further, the fight was declared over and Mugula winner, seeing him clinch the world title.

The 67kg-fighter came into the fight on the back of an impressive record of 42 wins in his 58 fights in Europe, ultimately bringing to 43 his total number of triumphs after fighting Nagy.

He has suffered ten (10) losses and six (6) draws in his kickboxing career.

The event had started Friday late evening with curtain-raising fights and mild entertainment from local musicians, notably Bobi Wine, popularly coined as the Ghetto President.

But by the time the main fight had ended, it was a little into a new day - Saturday.

Mugula's victory will help raise the spirits of the loyal local sports fans who have been nursing the heartbreak of Uganda Cranes' failure to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations at the hands of Zambia's Chipolopolo recently.