Ugandan kick boxer, Titus Tugume is bitterly embroiled in a nasty row with his promoter, Benon Kasenene over the distribution of the money that arose from gate collections during his fight with Hungarian, Sandor Szabo on Good Friday.
This follows Tugume’s public outbursts about his promoters and how they neglected him at the bout venue at Agip Motel in the Western Ugandan District of Mbarara.
There are reports that Titus Tugume had refused to leave his ‘hotel room’ to come for the fight on the D-Day not until the promoter cleared his allowances. There were a series of meetings that were held between Uganda Kick boxing officials, Tugume’s Technical Assistants headed by Meddie Mayambala and the promoters.
At long last, to avoid embarrassment at the event, he was convinced to come for the fight with a promise he would be paid after the fight, something to which he obliged.
TUGUME’s SAY
Tugume says he was treated in a very unhumanly way before and after the fight. “I camped at my mother’s home at Kafunzo, along Ibanda-Mbarara road, not a hotel as alleged, where I spent a week training. I had my trainer (Meddie Mayambala) and the 4 other training partners. Can you imagine, the promoter gave me 300,000/= for transport from Kampala, feeding and accommodation for those days to be shared by 5 people”. Tugume adds that he had earlier requested for a down payment of 15,000,000/= but he was convinced to make a verbal agreement indicating payment would be made after the match on Good Friday.
“After the fight at around 1AM, the promoter left me in the ring, his phone was off and I could neither see nor speak to any of my other managers. I had to plead with well wishers for my transport back to Kafunzo”, he narrates his ordeal to Kawowo sports.
PROMOTER DEFENDS SELF
When contacted for a comment, the promoter, Benon Kasenene of Bebet Company says Tugume is wrongly accusing him as the two parties agreed to sign a Talent Development Contract. “Tugume’s contract was basically to help him develop as a kick boxer and a sportsman, he is obliged to receive a basic salary from me for the 2 years of the contract, and not share with me gate collections”. Kasenene highlighted about Tugume’s contract.
Uganda Kick boxing official, Eddie Gombya could neither deny nor confirm the allegations but he remained tight lipped on the issue. “There are so many thing that went on, but I believe I am not the right authority to speak about them”, Gombya, who was one of the Referees in the Under card fights and a judge on Tugume’s fight said.
Over the years, promoters in Uganda have had a very hectic time with the athletes they manage over financial management issues. Tugume’s saga will remind many of the famous Moses Golola – Patrick Kanyomozi row, where the latter was accused of having apportioned his client a small fraction of the gate collections from the Golola-Nagy fight.
Meanwhile, another Ugandan Kick boxing sensation, Ronald Mugula is set to battle Romanian Janos Elek, who was lined up as replacement for Valdet Gashi who asked for more time. The fight is set for the April 5 at Kyadondo Rugby grounds. Janos, who is already in the country, boasts of 45 wins [10KOs], 12 loss and 8 draws while Ugandan Mugula has a record of 43 wins, 10 losses and 23 knockouts from 59 fights.
